Many people that want to lose weight also suffer from some sort of back pain. While chiropractic and associated therapies can ease back pain and aid in healing, healthy lifestyle changes are also pretty important, especially weight loss.
Excess weight puts increased pressure on the spine, especially the lower back. The more individuals can near their ideal weight, the easier it becomes to treat and eliminate back pain.
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Research has shown that excess weight and obesity do increase the risk of suffering from low back pain. A meta-analysis of the research on obesity and low back pain found that overweight and obese individuals were most likely to seek care for low back pain, including chronic back pain.
The spine is strong, but it is also delicate. The vertebrae are linked and supported by soft tissues, like discs, ligaments, and tendons.
These soft tissues make it possible to move, flex, twist and turn in a variety of ways, allowing your body to be quite mobile. But these soft tissues are prone to wear and tear.
Even a healthy body will experience wear and tear as it ages. When you add extra weight, though, you increase the wear and tear – and become more susceptible to injuries.
If you have ever carried an object for an extended period of time, like a bag of groceries up and down stairs or a jug of liquid across a parking lot, you know how it can wear you down. While you may feel fine at first, the longer you go, the more tired you become.
Extra body weight is something you carry around with you everywhere you go.
The structural components of your body, including your joints and the muscles that support them, are constantly forced to handle the extra pressure.
All the extra pressure transfers force through your joints, including your spine. Over time, the force will do damage. Discs will wear out faster, which can lead to degenerative disc disease and back pain.
The extra weight makes every accident and injury more damaging. Slipping and catching yourself, which may have been okay before, could now pull or tear muscles and tendons. Every time you are in an accident, your body will have a harder time maintaining safe alignment.
A herniated disc occurs when the tough outer layer of the disc is torn, allowing the soft inner layer to protrude. The protrusion can put pressure on nerves in the spine.
Excess weight makes it more likely that you will pull or tear muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
The lower back, or lumbar spine, is the part of the spine where most of the pressure is placed from excess weight. That is why low back pain is the most common form of injury we treat in overweight patients.
Every pound you lose is one less pound your body must carry. The closer you get to your optimal weight, the easier it will be for your body to support your spine. When you get chiropractic adjustments, they will be more likely to remain in place. A healthy weight makes chiropractic care more effective.
If you are suffering from back pain and excess weight, please contact us. Our chiropractic team can help you in your weight loss journey, and we can treat your pain in a way that is both effective and non-invasive.
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The information herein on "Losing Weight & Wellness, What To Know El Paso, TX." is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
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Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182
Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
License Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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