“I have pain in my back everytime I put on weight. Why does this happen?”
I have put on a few pounds recently, and now I'm suffering from excessive back pain. This has happened before, so I'm afraid that this is something a little more serious. Why does this happen when I put on a little weight?
22 Answers
There are several possibilities for this. If there is disc involvement, the additional weight can cause further bulging of the disc. Also, weight gain and change your center of gravity and because you unusual stress on your spine
Statistically, every pound you put on adds an additional 3 pounds of force on a disc of the low back. Maintaining a healthy weight will also help you maintain your adjustment longer.
Samuel Cirone
Chiropractor
Putting on a slight amount of weight affects the integrity of spinal curves. The spine has to adjust to accommodate the extra weight and thus weakens the structures holding the spinal column in place. It misaligns the vertebrae and puts pressure on the nerves causing pain.
Putting on weight adds more force on your joints, especially on the joints of the spine which hold us vertical against gravity.
Anytime we put on excess weight, it changes our whole body bi-mechanics. Stress of the extra weight can make your feet off center, your knees, your hips, your low back and then your neck. There is a domino effect. If you are ready to address your weight issues, Find a Chiropractor in your area who can address the underlying reason for the additional weight gain and help balance you out so as you get back into health, the weight can come off quicker.
Putting on more weight can put more pressure on the discs as well as the facet joints. If there are any mechanical problems with the lower back to begin, putting on more weight could aggravate the condition. Get an exam to find out if there are any spinal issues that would be aggravated by the additiinal stress.
By adding weight, it can put more stress on your spine. Have you ever considered seeing a chiropractor to see if there is more to the problem than putting on weight?
Most likely because the extra weight causes enough of a postural change to irritate a problem that is already there, but asymptomatic. It would be a good idea to consult a doctor.
More weight equals more pressure on your spine and discs from everyday life; sitting, standing, lying, bending, twisting, etc. Start with a chiropractic evaluation and seek referrals as necessary.
Strive, don’t survive,
Dr. Duchon
Strive, don’t survive,
Dr. Duchon
It could be that the increased weight shifts your center of gravity forward placing greater stress on your low back. There is also a condition called spondylolisthesis that will cause a narrowing of the spinal canal and a pinching of the spinal cord. The increased weight can aggravate this condition. Both of these conditions can be treated without surgery or drugs through chiropractic.
It could be a few things, the actual weight could be compressing your spine irritating certain parts of the spine like the discs and the joints. Also, adipose (fat tissue) could be surrounding enough muscles making them inefficient in their movement. There is another possibility that the adipose tissue is also taking up nutrients as adipose is highly vascularized so more blood vessels feed into that tissue instead of the surrounding bones, disc, and ligaments. A chiropractor would look to see where you gain weight (are you apple or pear shaped), if your pain seems biomechanical in nature so pressure needs to be taken off a joint or body part or more organic, which means tissue healing needs to be restored to decrease your low back pain. An exam would include testing your movement in certain areas, measuring your BMI, and possibly ordering a blood test or X-ray if the doctor suspects osteopenia. I hope this information is useful.
It has to do with the health of your overall body. Healthy body = healthy spine. Exercise is vital to spinal health as well as chiropractic. Core muscles are directly correlated to back pain. Work out more and see a chiropractor regularly and you'll have a decrease in back pain.
Dr. Quentin Smith
Dr. Quentin Smith
The answer to your question may lie in how exactly are you putting on the weight.
Are you gaining weight due to poor diet and not enough exercise? If you lose your core strength then you are at increased risk of disc bulge or sacroiliac strain which cause back pain. If you are eating refined sugar and fatty foods then your muscles will not be getting the proper protein to keep them contracting and growing like they need. So, it’s not necessarily the increased weight that causes the back pain but how you are putting on that excess weight.
Try to eat healthy and get more exercise and see if your pain goes away.
Are you gaining weight due to poor diet and not enough exercise? If you lose your core strength then you are at increased risk of disc bulge or sacroiliac strain which cause back pain. If you are eating refined sugar and fatty foods then your muscles will not be getting the proper protein to keep them contracting and growing like they need. So, it’s not necessarily the increased weight that causes the back pain but how you are putting on that excess weight.
Try to eat healthy and get more exercise and see if your pain goes away.
Caitlin Zietz
Chiropractor
Hi there,
Additional weight is a stressor to the body and to the joints. Your body will eventually become accustomed to the weight gain, but it still adds stress to the spine over time.
Dr. Caitlin Zietz, B.Sc., D.C.
Additional weight is a stressor to the body and to the joints. Your body will eventually become accustomed to the weight gain, but it still adds stress to the spine over time.
Dr. Caitlin Zietz, B.Sc., D.C.
If there is a vertebrae out of alignment, known as a Subluxation, which is putting abnormal pressures on the nerve, then even small weight gain could amplify the effects and cause pain to be evident. Please seek chiropractic evaluation.
Laura C. Hey
Chiropractor
Hello,
Yes, this is normal to have an increase in back pain after some weight gain. Adding a little weight causes additional strain on the muscles and joints in your back. The stress can put the low back out of alignment, which any chiropractor should be able to help you with.
Yes, this is normal to have an increase in back pain after some weight gain. Adding a little weight causes additional strain on the muscles and joints in your back. The stress can put the low back out of alignment, which any chiropractor should be able to help you with.
When you gain weight you are loading on your facet joints. Weight gain is commonly associated with facet related pain. If there are other symptoms you may want to get some x-rays performed to look at the area more closely.
When we add weight, it increases the pressure on the surface area of your body. This is particularly true for the knees and the lower back area. We generally gain weight in the mid section. The disc pressure on the lumbar L5/4 disc region standing is .5; if you are holding or adding 20 pounds of weight close to the body, it becomes 1.10 and if you bend it becomes 2.3. So, when you gain weight and are not conditioned, your lower back/discs work up to 4.6 times harder than when you are at your appropriate weight. When the body has extra stress, it gets your attention through pain, tingling, and numbness.
Dr. Webb
Dr. Webb
The weight puts extra strain on your muscles and your spine pulling it out of whack.
Hello,
This Is Dr. Steven Moon, Concord Chiropractic.
You should be checked by a qualified Chiropractor to see what is going on in your case. Many things can cause problems like this, including: pinched or irritated nerves, disc narrowing or degeneration, and arthritic spurring. You should be checked to make sure what it is. When you gain weight, it does put more pressure on the spine and it is not linear. If you put on an extra 10 pounds, it can increase pressure on your back by 100 pounds!
Best wishes in good health,
Dr. Moon, Concord Chiropractic
This Is Dr. Steven Moon, Concord Chiropractic.
You should be checked by a qualified Chiropractor to see what is going on in your case. Many things can cause problems like this, including: pinched or irritated nerves, disc narrowing or degeneration, and arthritic spurring. You should be checked to make sure what it is. When you gain weight, it does put more pressure on the spine and it is not linear. If you put on an extra 10 pounds, it can increase pressure on your back by 100 pounds!
Best wishes in good health,
Dr. Moon, Concord Chiropractic
When you put on weight that isn't proper for your frame it adds physical stress to the joints and discs in your spine. Your spine is meant to evenly spread the weight out so that it can work like a spring. When that weight isn't evenly distributed, it leads to damage and then pain.
When that pressure builds up on your discs they spread out to irritate your nerves, which leads to low back pain. Think of the discs like balloons, when you squish a balloon the air relocates and that is what is happening to your discs in your back.
If you have other questions check out our website at healthsourcechiro.com/marshall or to set up an appointment to see if we can help call 507-337-2423.
Thank you,
Dr. Rob
When that pressure builds up on your discs they spread out to irritate your nerves, which leads to low back pain. Think of the discs like balloons, when you squish a balloon the air relocates and that is what is happening to your discs in your back.
If you have other questions check out our website at healthsourcechiro.com/marshall or to set up an appointment to see if we can help call 507-337-2423.
Thank you,
Dr. Rob
When you put on weight, it puts stress and pressure on your spinal column and joints in the body. This can then cause spinal misalignment that can lead to bulging discs, osteoarthritis, or muscle strain.
