Big Belly and a Back Ache...Duh!
The next time you complain about a bad back, take a good look at yourself in the mirror. The extra fat around your stomach could be the culprit.
According to doctors TODAY spoke to, being obese puts you at a greater risk of chronic backaches.
“While it is not known exactly how excess weight can contribute to back pain, it is known that obese people are often at greater risk for back and joint pain, and muscle strain,” said Dr David Wong, a specialist in orthopaedic surgery at Raffles Hospital.
Dr Patrick Goh, consultant sports physician at SportsMed Central in Gleneagles Hospital, explained that this is probably because an obese person generally carries more weight around the trunk, which tends to put more stress on the spine.
Excessive weight around the abdomen also leads to a heavier load, and therefore more wear and tear on the lumbar (lower back) disc and joints. This increases the stress on the spinal muscles, said Dr Goh.
According to Dr Wong, a pulled muscle or sprained ligament in the back is one of the most common causes of acute back pain.
Those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 25 (you are considered overweight if your BMI is between 25 to 29.9) are also at a greater risk of developing facet joint osteoarthritis, a condition that causes lower back pain and stiffness, Dr Wong added.
It can affect your quality of life
While back pain isn’t life-threatening - unlike other diseases that often plague obese people (coronary heart disease, diabetes) - patients are often surprised at how debilitating a backache can be.
“I have been having pain in my back on and off for the last two months after I strained a muscle. At its worst, I couldn’t even wear my pants properly,” said Edward Tan, a 49-year-old businessman.
With a BMI of 26.6, Mr Tan falls into the overweight category. Adults with a BMI of 30 and above are considered obese.
Annoyed and severely inconvenienced by his bad back, Mr Tan ended up seeing two doctors. He was subsequently referred to a physiotherapist and advised by his doctor to “lose some weight”.
“Back pain may affect one’s ability to work as well as play. It may even be severe enough to affect sleep, or lead to irritability or mild depression,” said Dr Goh.
In addition, said Dr Goh, backache sufferers may also be more prone to “lifestyle diseases” such as hypertension and diabetes - brought about by long-term inactivity caused by their backache.
How to keep your back pain at bay
Maintaining a healthy weight can ease the strain on the lower back.
But for short-term pain relief management, plenty of rest, as well as pain and inflammation control, may help.
“Resting in a horizontal position is usually best as this takes the load off your back, allowing muscles to relax. Warm packs on muscles may also reduce painful spasms,” advised Dr Goh.
If you have chronic back pain, you should also pay attention to your posture, ergonomics of your desk area and the way you lift heavy objects.
Prescription anti-inflammatory medication, muscle relaxants and over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory creams can also help in pain relief, added Dr Goh.
However, Dr Wong said that while OTC creams are generally effective in providing temporary relief, they are not effective as a long-term treatment.
“They only act on the surface of the skin and are not strong enough to penetrate deeper beyond the skin, where the root of the problem is,” he said. - TODAY/ra
According to doctors TODAY spoke to, being obese puts you at a greater risk of chronic backaches.
“While it is not known exactly how excess weight can contribute to back pain, it is known that obese people are often at greater risk for back and joint pain, and muscle strain,” said Dr David Wong, a specialist in orthopaedic surgery at Raffles Hospital.
Dr Patrick Goh, consultant sports physician at SportsMed Central in Gleneagles Hospital, explained that this is probably because an obese person generally carries more weight around the trunk, which tends to put more stress on the spine.
Excessive weight around the abdomen also leads to a heavier load, and therefore more wear and tear on the lumbar (lower back) disc and joints. This increases the stress on the spinal muscles, said Dr Goh.
According to Dr Wong, a pulled muscle or sprained ligament in the back is one of the most common causes of acute back pain.
Those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 25 (you are considered overweight if your BMI is between 25 to 29.9) are also at a greater risk of developing facet joint osteoarthritis, a condition that causes lower back pain and stiffness, Dr Wong added.
It can affect your quality of life
While back pain isn’t life-threatening - unlike other diseases that often plague obese people (coronary heart disease, diabetes) - patients are often surprised at how debilitating a backache can be.
“I have been having pain in my back on and off for the last two months after I strained a muscle. At its worst, I couldn’t even wear my pants properly,” said Edward Tan, a 49-year-old businessman.
With a BMI of 26.6, Mr Tan falls into the overweight category. Adults with a BMI of 30 and above are considered obese.
Annoyed and severely inconvenienced by his bad back, Mr Tan ended up seeing two doctors. He was subsequently referred to a physiotherapist and advised by his doctor to “lose some weight”.
“Back pain may affect one’s ability to work as well as play. It may even be severe enough to affect sleep, or lead to irritability or mild depression,” said Dr Goh.
In addition, said Dr Goh, backache sufferers may also be more prone to “lifestyle diseases” such as hypertension and diabetes - brought about by long-term inactivity caused by their backache.
How to keep your back pain at bay
Maintaining a healthy weight can ease the strain on the lower back.
But for short-term pain relief management, plenty of rest, as well as pain and inflammation control, may help.
“Resting in a horizontal position is usually best as this takes the load off your back, allowing muscles to relax. Warm packs on muscles may also reduce painful spasms,” advised Dr Goh.
If you have chronic back pain, you should also pay attention to your posture, ergonomics of your desk area and the way you lift heavy objects.
Prescription anti-inflammatory medication, muscle relaxants and over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory creams can also help in pain relief, added Dr Goh.
However, Dr Wong said that while OTC creams are generally effective in providing temporary relief, they are not effective as a long-term treatment.
“They only act on the surface of the skin and are not strong enough to penetrate deeper beyond the skin, where the root of the problem is,” he said. - TODAY/ra
posted by Ergonomic Partners @ 2:40 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home