Patients that are overweight may not be aware that their
weight is actually contributing to their back problems. Although we do not know
exactly why weight contributes to back pain, studies have shown that it does
and that people who are overweight are more at risk than those who are not.
Those who are severely overweight may have problems with
breathing and shortness of breath during periods of exercise which can lead to
an avoidance of exercise. One of the greatest causes of back pain is a lack of
exercise and so the link between excess weight and back pain is proven once
more.
For those who are overweight there is additional strain on
the muscles and ligaments in the back, to compensate for the extra weight the
spine can become tilted and the back may lose its proper support. More
seriously for those with a BMI over 25 there is a risk of developing
osteoarthritis or put more simply arthritis of the spine of which one of the
recommended treatments is weight loss.
So while we appreciate that we all come in different shapes
and sizes simply shaving off a few extra pounds could make all the difference
to your back pain dilemmas.
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