Obesity is a common problem in America. Thanks to busy work life and a lot of personal and professional stress, many people fall prey to bad habits like alcoholism and unhealthy food. If you are from a city like Marietta where Southern flavors thrive and high-calorie food items grab your attention, you need to start focusing a bit more on your health. Marietta is located in the state of Georgia which is among one of the most obese states of the country. With obesity figures ranging from 31% to 32% of the total population, back pain is a common problem.
Obesity -A Serious Health Condition
Health experts have regarded obesity as a major disease. The reason behind this is that obesity easily affects your entire life and welcomes new diseases to the body. Due to advancements in technology, people spend most of the time sitting and this has resulted in obesity having a negative impact on the children as well.
Obesity can result in a number of health complications in a person. This is mainly dependent on the age of the person as well. Some of the general and most common health issues because of obesity are:
- Cardiac issues
- Diabetes
- Colon Cancer
- Blood Pressure
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Degenerative Discs
- Spinal Stenosis
- Osteoporosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Spondylolisthesis
Causes of Obesity
We live in a modern world where industrialization but more importantly digitalization has made everything easier and at our proximity. People literally don’t have to walk or even go out of their houses to get basic supplies. Every single thing that you can think of can be purchased online. From processed food to easily operational gadgets, people don’t have to move a lot. Most of the people have replaced their favorite sports with the digitalized and online versions making it a completely indoor thing.
Effect of Obesity on the Spine
The human spine is designed to handle the normal body weight and distribute the rest of it to the other parts. When you are obese, it becomes a bit difficult for your body to carry the burden and this ultimately results in damage to the structure and functionality of the spine. Your Marietta pain and spine care doctor will examine your overall condition and inform you about the effects of obesity on your spine in a more detailed way.
Results of Unhealthy Spine Due to Obesity
While many people regard these spine-related issues as a part of the aging process, they are quite far from the truth. Even though it is a normal issue for older people to develop spine-related conditions, it is worse for people who are suffering from obesity. As per some recent studies and evaluations, car accident doctors have been treating various patients over the years have stated that obese people are more prone to developing spine injuries as compared to their healthier and fitter counterparts.
Some of the unhealthiest yet common effects of obesity on the spine are:
- People lose their posture. An obese person is unable to maintain proper posture. This results in neck and back issues over the years. The lumbar spine is the most affected area among the entire region. Whether you are sitting or standing, if you have a bad posture, it will result in neck and spine discomfort.
- Obesity promotes constant pain in the lower back region of a person’s body. This pain is recurring and if you do not apply safety measures and health precautions, it has the tendency to come back.
- An unhealthy lifestyle paired with an unhealthy diet can impair bone density as well as the strength of the spinal vertebrae. If the internal structure of the vertebra is damaged, there is a chance of fracturing. Breaks in the vertebral can be traumatic and have the tendency to disable a person. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you could have deteriorated 25% and 30% of the ideal bone mass.
- Arthritis is a common issue among people who are suffering from obesity. The reason behind this is that the joints of a person’s body are also called facet joints. Having an excessive body weight is prone to placing a large sum of stress on the joints regardless of whether your body is at rest or in motion.
Steps To Take Care of Your Spine
If your Marietta pain and spine specialist has diagnosed you with spinal issues due to obesity, it is your time to actually implement measures and precautions that will promote spinal health.
Give your spine proper rest
When you lay down to have a goodnight’s sleep, every component and muscle of the spine needs to have proper rest. For this purpose, you need to have bed accessories that support the spine and not cause any discomfort.
- You can use a medium-firm mattress. You think having an extremely soft and plush mattress would do the trick but it would just cause your spine to sink in.
- Try placing a pillow under the knees as it will help keep your spine aligned. If you sleep sideways, place a pillow between the knees.
Exercise the core
A person must have very strong core muscles that can support the back and abdomen. While we love to work out our legs and arms, the core portion is often neglected for being “too tough”. Exercises like the plank or pushups play a great role in keeping the core healthy and strong. However, if you have severe health conditions due to being obese, it is always a good idea to consult a professional doctor.
Buy the Perfect Shoes
Whether you are walking to get your daily step count in or you are trying to shed those extra pounds, the footwear you wear plays an important role in protecting your spine. Comfortable footwear bought for its intended purpose provides support that helps the spine and body stay aligned. For e.g., ensure the shoe region that suits the back of your heel is snug, but not too close. Correct fit avoids over-rolling of the foot to outside or inside.
Get a massage every now and then
Healthy back massage has a variety of medicinal advantages apart from offering you relaxation in your muscles. For example, getting a massage from a professional place will help you in the following:
- Increasing blood flow
- Loosening rigid muscles
- Loosening connective tissues
- Improving relaxation.
Although a massage does not need to be intensive in order to be relaxing, some research shows that a mild massage provides more relief from pain than a gentle-touch massage.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Obesity isn’t something that is caused overnight. It takes a variety of bad decisions and the ability to completely let go of yourself to even become overweight let alone with obesity. Even car injury doctors recommend that a person starts moving as soon as the pain starts to lessen. One to two weeks are standard bedrest durations. You need to make the following changes in your lifestyle to see good results:
- Walk every single day for at least 10,000 steps
- Avoid sitting for long durations
- Eat foods that are non-processed and low in calories
Conclusion
It is important to take care of your spine but obesity does lead to a lot of spine-related issues. To avoid this issue, it is important that you give your spine the rest it deserves and incorporates healthy habits in your lifestyle.