Back Pain

Along with other health issues that arise from having an unhealthy weight level, obese and overweight patients have an increased risk for back pain, joint pain and muscle strain.

 In particular, overweight patients are more likely to experience problems in their low back than patients at a healthy weight level. This is especially true for people with extra weight around their midsection as the extra weight pulls the pelvis forward, strains the lower back and thus creating lower back pain.

In addition to muscle strain, spinal structures such as the discs can be negatively impacted by obesity. Patients with significant excess weight also may experience sciatica and low back pain from a herniated disc or from a pinched nerve if the discs have been damaged from compensating for the extra weight.

For most back problems, exercise and movement are the natural stimuli for the healing process. Controlled, gradual and progressive exercise, rather than inactivity and bed rest, most often provides the best long-term solution for reducing back pain and preventing (or lessening) future episodes of pain.

People who are overweight or obese and suffer from back pain may not be aware that their excess weight is actually contributing to their back pain. While it has not yet been thoroughly studied exactly how excess weight can cause or contribute to back pain, it is known that people who are overweight often are at greater risk for back pain, joint pain and muscle strain than those who are not obese.

In addition to back pain, symptoms exhibited by persons who are obese or severely overweight may include fatigue, as well as difficulty breathing and shortness of breath during short periods of exercise. If the fatigue and shortness of breath causes one to avoid activity and exercise, then this can indirectly lead to back pain as lack of exercise contributes to many common forms of back pain.

Managing weight rapidly through diet and exercise, not only reduces existing back pain, but can also help prevent certain types of back problems from : a)  getting worse, and b)  becoming more serious in the future. For example, overweight and obese patients have an increased risk for osteoarthritis. The additional strain on the joints from the excess weight can cause arthritis in patients whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is too high. For patients who already have osteoarthritis, weight loss is one of the recommended treatments.

The key to a healthy diet and good nutrition is balance. Patients should consume adequate amounts of vitamins (micro) and (macro) nutrients but, for example, should avoid exceeding the daily intake recommendations for vitamin A / E and K in particular. Consuming a balanced amount of recommended vitamins and nutrients is also important because certain nutrients and vitamins work in concert while others work against each other. The Dr. Howard’s Way Diet TFR meals have all the micro nutrients you require in the correct levels, it is by far one of the best ways for reducing your weight when suffering from back / joint problems.