back pain = weight gain

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Weight Loss = Less pain?

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pameladawn99
pameladawn99 Posts: 24
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Many of you have lost weight. I'd like to know if it has helped your pain?

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  • opal24
    opal24 Posts: 205 Member
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    Hmm - does this mean that it hasn't helped, I wonder? Pamela - I haven't lost a huge amount, but I am feeling lighter. I do have little or no pain now, but I honestly don't know whether that's from the weight loss or from my spine finally settling down properly after my surgery. I'm now 8 months into my recovery and was told it would take a year, so it could well be that. It would be interesting to hear from others whether their loss has made a difference to them.
  • Victory2xs
    Victory2xs Posts: 16
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    My neurosurgeon is the one that emphasized the importance of losing 60 pounds. He said this may prevent the need for surgery on my lower back. So if a neurosurgeon beleives weight loss can help the lower back enough to prevent a complicated and scary surgery, then I would definitely say weight loss = less pain :smile:
  • thecat
    thecat Posts: 43 Member
    edited January 2015
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    My doctors....say loose weight and you might feel better withregardtoyour back pain ..so it has to have some truth to it. For me the hard part is loosing weight and exercising and staying faithful to moving when I in pain.
  • adnaram
    adnaram Posts: 44 Member
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    I have degenerative disc disease in my lower back and loosing weight and exercise is helping a LOT. Think about it this way- I'm carrying around 50 lbs less every time I move. Also, my core is stronger and better able to support a weak spine. The problem isn't gone and I constantly have to be careful with overdoing it, but there is hope now where there wasn't before.
  • stormy_eyez742
    stormy_eyez742 Posts: 37 Member
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    I "earned" a spinal fusion surgery - titanium rod, screws, plate, and a titanium interbody cage for a bone graft. A couple of other lovely things happened during the surgery that set me back. Anyway, I was 100+lbs overweight at that time. Sadly the injury I had would not correct itself so surgery was my only way. I was 36 and 2 specialist told me I'd be in a wheelchair by 40 because my fractured spine was putting pressure on my spinal cord and continuing nerve involvement. I was unable to walk across a room unassisted before surgery. After surgery and the healing process, single, most painful experience of my life. PT sucked...I did most of the exercises at home.

    One day I offhandedly asked my Physical therapist if I'd be able to run now. He kind of chuff/chuckled and said, no there would be no running for me ever. That made me mad and determined! Within a year and a half I went from very overweight, not able to walk, to surgery, PT, and then - jogging! I also worked the h*ll out of my core/strength training on non-cardio days....Then Zumba.

    All a VERY long story to say this - YES! 100% YES! Losing weight, strengthening your core is what will save you from pain. There are still times I have pain (rain, cold weather, when I'm being sedentary). I love a lot of weight, my body was toned, and then I had some personal traumas/tragedy happen. So now I'm back here trying to lose all the weight again because the pain is back again. My back reminds me when I need to get moving.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
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    Definitely helped me... I've been creeping up since my big weight loss and just now hitting "critical mass" where I can feel a difference in my physical capacity....

    (After having l lost 33 lbs between sept 2010 - march 2012, recently found myself creeping up so it 2016 and I'm back to remind myself of the cause and effect between what I eat and how I feel)

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