postural changes as a result of weight loss?

MaggotPig

I've been losing weight for a while now, and I'm just over halfway to my target weight, having lost in the region of 95lbs.

Life is good, I'm eating good foods, I've got more energy, I'm exercising regularly...but I spend a lot of my time with various aches (mainly back and shoulders) and I'm pretty certain it's due to postural changes as I've lost the weight. Has anyone else experienced this? What can I do about it?

I recently joined a gym again (having not set food in one for >2 years!), and I'm going to speak to the instructors and get some sort of program put together so that I'm doing both cardio and strength training, but I'd be interested to hear what I could/should focus on to help these aches!

jemhh

I have far fewer aches and pains after having lost weight. Mostly I just have soreness after a harder workout. Assuming you don't have a serious shoulder or back injury that needs medical attention, starting a full body strength program should help you a lot. Strengthening your muscles in your back and shoulders will help your posture immensely and by doing a full body routine you will have a program that keeps you in balance (or gets you into balance as you likely aren't there now.) Below are a few programs that you can google to check out. They all revolve around a few compound exercises and then a couple add in other exercises as well.

• Strong Curves
• New Rules of Lifting for Women
• Stronglifts 5x5
• Starting Strength
• All Pro's Simple Beginner Routine

AllanMisner

Yes, it is now time for you to consider another fitness modality: Mobility and muscle balance.

Assessment: Video tape yourself from the front, side and back doing a full bodyweight squat with your arms extended over your head. When looking at the video you're going to look for a few things:
- Were you able to get into a full squat hip crease even or below the knees?
- Did your arms come way forward as you squatted?
- Did you arch your back?
- Did your knees come together rather than track out over the toes?
- Did your heels come off the ground?
- Did you come down and go up evenly or did you seem to favor one side?

These help you know where you're lacking mobility or where you have muscle imbalances. Getting those worked out should help with you alignment/posture and help relieve some of the stress that is causing that pain.

MaggotPig

Thank you for your replies - very useful

My shoulders are fine but I have had back issues in the past. I have a prolapsed disc at the L4-L5 level, which has largely resolved by itself (I came very close to requiring surgery), but there is a small amount of nerve damage as a result but to be honest, that doesn't actually affect my back, it's more my legs. I have a slight weakness in my left leg as a result of this (I was on crutches for about a year due to weakness in my legs while this was going on). I know when I walk, I move my left leg in a different and less natural way to my right leg. My back has improved greatly with my weight loss, and I've had no real problems for a few years now. I do however have a degree of hyperlordosis which probably contributes to my poor posture, but to be honest, it's less my lower back and more my thoracic spine and shoulders.

I've literally been to the gym once since I re-joined, so I'm just starting out but will definitely get a program put together to do a full body routine. The gym runs various body balance and pilates classes - would these be of any use do you think?

AllanMisner

Those classes may help, but without really knowing how you move (based on the overhead squat test), you won't be focusing on the things that matter most.

MaggotPig

AllanMisner wrote: »

Those classes may help, but without really knowing how you move (based on the overhead squat test), you won't be focusing on the things that matter most.

I'm not even sure I can do a squat! I can probably do the down bit, but the up bit might be another matter

AllanMisner

MaggotPig wrote: »

AllanMisner wrote: »

Those classes may help, but without really knowing how you move (based on the overhead squat test), you won't be focusing on the things that matter most.

I'm not even sure I can do a squat! I can probably do the down bit, but the up bit might be another matter

Then you need to work on that strength. Get a kitchen chair, get in position to sit down, with your hands out in front of you or on your waist (for balance), slowly lower yourself until your butt touches the chair seat, then stand back up (only using your legs). See how that goes with three sets of ten reps. If you can't just tap the seat with your butt (you end up taking weight off your legs, then that set is done). When you're getting three sets of ten, then remove the chair and put something else (a little lower to the ground) and lower to that point (just be careful about losing your balance because you won't have chair to catch you).

Cherimoose

Try these 2 posture improvers:

- Chest stretch
http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/ChestGeneral/Doorway.html
Keep your elbow up at eye level, not shoulder level like they show

- Swiss ball stretch
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rUrfdsJV2sY

For both, hold for 30 seconds and repeat a few times daily if possible.

Before doing strength training, try to get an assessment from a physical therapist or an unusually qualified personal trainer (NASM-CES, for example). They'll give you a customized routine to correct whatever issues they see. Class instructors usually aren't qualified to do this.

What exercises were you doing when the pain started?

MaggotPig

AllanMisner wrote: »

MaggotPig wrote: »

AllanMisner wrote: »

Those classes may help, but without really knowing how you move (based on the overhead squat test), you won't be focusing on the things that matter most.

I'm not even sure I can do a squat! I can probably do the down bit, but the up bit might be another matter

Then you need to work on that strength. Get a kitchen chair, get in position to sit down, with your hands out in front of you or on your waist (for balance), slowly lower yourself until your butt touches the chair seat, then stand back up (only using your legs). See how that goes with three sets of ten reps. If you can't just tap the seat with your butt (you end up taking weight off your legs, then that set is done). When you're getting three sets of ten, then remove the chair and put something else (a little lower to the ground) and lower to that point (just be careful about losing your balance because you won't have chair to catch you).

Thank you - will give it a go, should be interesting to say the least!

MaggotPig

Cherimoose wrote: »

Try these 2 posture improvers:

- Chest stretch
http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/ChestGeneral/Doorway.html
Keep your elbow up at eye level, not shoulder level like they show

- Swiss ball stretch
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rUrfdsJV2sY

For both, hold for 30 seconds and repeat a few times daily if possible.

Before doing strength training, try to get an assessment from a physical therapist or an unusually qualified personal trainer (NASM-CES, for example). They'll give you a customized routine to correct whatever issues they see. Class instructors usually aren't qualified to do this.

What exercises were you doing when the pain started?

Thanks

In terms of exercises - it's not when I'm doing anything in particular, it's more just day to day stuff. I work long hours (8am-7pm) doing a largely desk based job. Although I'm up and down filling prescriptions and unpacking orders, cleaning and things, I do spend the majority of my day sat at my desk. I think it's just my general posture that has changed with my body shape changes, not anything specific. I'm half thinking that I might just eat my way back up to 25 odd stone (I started out at over 350lbs) and never had half of the problems I'm having now!