Banish back pain: You Docs
February 22, 2012
You Docs
If your belly enters a room seconds before you do, chances are you’re on a first-name basis with Aching Back. In the past 20 years, the incidence of obesity has tripled and complaints about back pain have doubled. So could trimming your bulging middle or backside prevent those “gotta-lie-down” twinges and spasms in your back muscles?
Two new studies say “Yes.” But the back-saving benefits of a flat belly and trim hips go beyond easing muscle pain. The big story: Body fat is a demolition derby for your backbone’s discs; staying slim keeps the gel-filled cushions that act as your spineshock absorbers out of harm’s way.
Extra pounds increase the load on your spine — taxing your muscles and dumping pressure on the soft tissue around your vertebrae. That can exaggerate the natural curve of your lower back, throwing off your spine’s alignment and triggering chronic pain. And belly fat pumps out inflammatory chemicals that weaken discs. Add sitting for long periods and here comes the need for pain relievers or more serious remedies.
Today, one in nine people has back trouble that compromises everyday living, interrupts steady work and tosses a monkey wrench into satisfying relationships. And 80 per cent of adults and a growing number of kids get back pain once in a while. Overweight kids are twice as likely to have early signs of disc disease — putting them on track for serious back problems down the road.
So, before you order that megamuffin and caramel mochaccino with whipped cream, here’s what’s to know about the connection between body fat and bad-back:
More weight equals more pain. Carrying enough extra pounds to classify you as “overweight” (for example, weighing 155 to 185 lbs. if you’re a 5-foot-6 woman) boosts your odds for back pain by 20 per cent. Obesity (more than 185 pounds for the same height) doubles or triples the risk. But losing just four pounds takes 16 pounds of pressure off your spine.
More weight equals more damage. In another new study from Hong Kong (the obesity problem is worldwide) scans of 2,599 women and men revealed that piling on pounds increases the risk for degenerative disc disease by 30 per cent to 79 per cent. DDD sets you up for a slipped or ruptured disc; that puts pressure on nerves. Then there’s a spine-tingling numbness and weakness in your legs and plenty of back pain. Often degenerative disc disease heals within six months, but a whopping 1 in 10 with degenerative disc disease ends up under the knife.
That’s a heap of great reasons to stick with your New Year’s resolution to get healthy and back into your skinny jeans. Visit realage.com for weight-loss advice. Add these steps to soothe a sore back, too:
Move more. Walk, swim, bike, shake it in your local Zumba class. Physical activity helps control weight; adding strength-building moves does even more, keeping your core strong to better support your spine.
Learn to lift. Lifting the wrong way is a leading cause of sudden back injuries. The right way: Bend your knees, hold the object close to your body, then tighten your stomach muscles and lift with the legs. Don’t twist or lift heavy stuff higher than your waist.
Sit smart. Don’t slouch; keep shoulders back, in line with your hips and feet flat on the floor. Your knees should be bent about 90 degrees. Tuck a small pillow or special lumbar support behind your lower back.
Get up. If you’re sitting down, stand up every 20 minutes or so. Walk around your office or living room. Move your arms. Any motion draws fresh, oxygen-rich fluid into your spine’s discs keeping your back happier and healthier.
YouDocs Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen are authors of YOU: Losing Weight. Order it at StarStore.ca. Submit questions and find more info at RealAge.com
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