How Being Overweight Can Impact The Spine

Being overweight can lead to several problems in your body including joint and musculoskeletal related pain. In order to compensate for the excess weight, your spine gets stressed unevenly and becomes tilted.

Over time, you may even develop back issues which can lead to an unnatural curvature of the spine along with intense pain. While weight loss is the primary solution, it is a rather long term process which can take anywhere between months to years. Regular chiropractic care can help you deal with the spinal issues and pain in an effective way. 

Obesity can lead to spinal problems

When you are overweight or obese, any added weight in the midsection of the body can shift the pelvis forward and cause the spine to curve inward. This condition, where the back muscles are forced to bear the excess weight, is called swayback or hyperlordosis. 

While there are some exercises designed to strengthen the lower abdominal muscles to bring the pelvis back into its neutral position, loss of weight is truly the key to resolving the strain on the spine. More importantly, you need an expert’s advice to understand the gravity of the spinal issues and address them accordingly.

Obesity can severely worsen many spine-related issues, including:

1- Herniated disc

A herniated disc is one of the most common spinal injuries. The symptoms of a herniated disc can include numbness or weakness in arms and legs, shooting pain on one side of the body, and sudden muscle weakness. Some doctors may recommend surgery to repair the herniation, but a chiropractor can help you deal with the problem without any surgery or medication.

2- Spine osteoarthritis 

This is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when the tissues present around the bones wear down. Excess weight can lead to joint misalignment which can in turn impact the tissues around the bones and lead to spine osteoarthritis. The symptoms can include joint stiffness, muscle tenderness, and limited range of motion. 

3- Bulging disc

When your vertebral disc pushes out of the normal position due to extra weight on the body and begins to invade the area around the spinal nerves, it can lead to a bulging disc which can be incredibly painful. Since overweight people already have increased strain on their spine and weight, they are more susceptible to a bulging disc. 

4- Compression Fracture

A compression fracture occurs in the back when the spinal bones break. While it can occur in any part of the vertebrae, it is more common in the lower part of the spine. Obesity makes your spine even more prone to a compression fracture since the spine has to support more weight than it is built to handle.

5- Degenerative disc disease 

This disease refers to the weakening of discs present between the vertebrates. While degenerative disc disease is more common in older people as it is a part of the natural aging process, it can also happen earlier in life during to excessive weight strain on the spine. While the condition starts with the damage to the spine, it can affect the other parts of the body as well. You may experience intense pain that worsens when bending, twisting or sitting.

See Also: Why You should Combine Nutritional Counselling with Chiropractic Care

How a chiropractor can help deal with spine-related problems

If you have ever been overweight, then chances are, you already know the kind of strain it can put on your body’s joints and muscles. Losing the weight is crucial, but you also have to find a way to fight the pain that your excess weight puts on the joints and bones of your body, so you reach your goal weight. 

Chiropractic care can help rectify damage to the spine that has happened due to obesity. If you are trying to lose weight, then chiropractic adjustments can help accelerate the process. As you start to lose weight, your body starts to change and the joints and spine might need adjustments to keep up with the ongoing changes. 

Adjustments help get rid of adipose tissues (that store fat) which can lead to better muscle tone. It can also make it harder for your body to put on excess weight. If you have been going for workouts regularly, chiropractors can make adjustments to allow your muscles to relax. They can even detect any potential injuries which might hinder your weight loss in the future if they aren’t treated properly.

With regular adjustments by a chiropractor, your spine can be relieved of the pressure being caused by dysfunctions or subluxations of the spine. After these subluxations are removed, you will be able to exercise more easily and you diets will also become more effective.

See also: How Can a Chiropractor Help With Shoulder Pain?

Visit Iceberg Health for the best chiropractic care 

Being overweight is already a lot to deal with – while you focus on losing weight, our expert chiropractors at Iceberg Health can help you rectify your spinal problems. 

Call us at 678-505-0000 and visit us at one of our locations in Lawrenceville, Marietta or Morrow. Mention you read our blog article to receive a free appointment!