Back Pain Related to Obesity

Back pain is one of the most common problems affecting Americans. In fact, according to the Sports Injury Bulletin , nearly 8 out of 10 people will encounter back pain at some point in their life. Back pain is sited as the main cause of disability in men over the age of 45, one of the most common reasons people visit their doctor, and one of the most common reasons people need surgery. While it is clear that most people will experience back pain in their life, it is not always clear why. The causes of back pain range from muscle strains and ligament sprains, to joint problems and slipped discs, to poor posture and heavy lifting. Everyone's back pain is different, and it is often hard to pinpoint exactly what caused the pain someone feels. However, there is a clear connection between back pain and obesity.

Spine - Health states that approximately one-third of Americans who are obese will experience some form of back pain. Obesity has been linked to osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, lordosis, and many more back ailments. There are a number of reasons why back pain is linked to obesity, mainly due to the way the back is designed. The back, especially the spine, is designed to carry and distribute your body's weight. When you are overweight, however, your spine must accommodate and support more weight, and is often structurally compromised. Your low back, or lumbar spine, is most vulnerable to the effects of obesity, because, as your back works to support more weight, your lumbar spine becomes stressed, which leads to a number of problems, including sway back.

A lack of activity can lead to weak back, thigh, and pelvic muscles, which in turn weakens the overall structural integrity of your back. While exercise and conditioning can help strengthen these muscles, the extra weight they are forced to support can cause them damage. As the spine and weakened muscles try to carry the extra weight, the curve of the lower back is often increased, leading to a condition known as lordosis, or sway back. The excessive curvature of the spine leads to poor posture and weight distribution, which in turn leads to pain in other areas of your back. Excess weight, especially in the abdomen, creates pressure on the lower back, forcing an exaggerated curve. Some overweight people tend to lean back to improve balance, which also affects posture and therefore, back pain.

Dr. Bookspan stresses the importance of correct posture as a way of reducing back pain. If you have been overweight for a long time, your back may have lost the proper support it needs, and may have developed an unnatural curvature. If this is the case, it can be hard to correct posture without additional support. The Back Thing, for instance, is designed to support your lumbar spine and prevent the excessive curving of your back that is caused from carrying too much weight. While your spine and back will still have to support more weight than it is designed to, proper posture can help reduce the amount of pain you feel, and strengthen the weakened muscles in your back. When you are seated, having the back support thatThe Back Thing provides, can help relieve some of the pain you feel, and will help support your back so that your back can support your weight.