Morbidly obese, lower back hurts when walking

fatmanonthemoon2 · January 2018

Ok well... i'm just going to put myself out there... I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere or this isn't the proper location.

Me: 6'2" 420lbs, Male, 30

I've never been very active but even less so in the last year thanks to an ankle injury. I work in sales (phone) so I'm at a desk all day and I don't go out very much.

I want to start walking. Even if it's just around the block, I want to do something every day. My issues is I get sharp pain in my lower back if I walk for more than about 10 minutes. I'm sure it's due to my sedentary lifestyle.

Are there stretches or something I should be doing first? i considered getting a recumbent bike, would that help?

catzZxx · January 2018

I have a cross trainer and it helps alot I'm not very active either i work in an office and when i get home i just sit on my *kitten* all day! Lol , but the cross trainer dose help i can only manage 15 mins on it atm but gradually increasing, i was 11 stone 9 ive lost 6 pounds in a week by dieting and the cross trainer

cory17 · January 2018

If it's been a year since the injury, the ankle should have healed by now. (if not, that's a diff issue) @moosmum is right about water walking & using a pool - much easier on your back and joints.

Stop overthinking it and go do it! If 10 min is doable, go do it!! The point is to start, that will be a relief and you will feel better mentally. then repeat

sarahthes · January 2018

Get fitted for some good shoes (it makes a difference!). Then just start out gradually. Water walking at the pool is a good lower impact option as mentioned above. Or if 10 minutes is too long, go for 8 minutes at a time. After a week stretch it to 9 minutes etc. Basically build up to it as extend your time gradually.

crazykatlady820 · January 2018

Hey there! My first suggestion is talking to your doctor. However, I do have a few other things that helped me. I started out 200 pounds overweight and I couldn't walk more than 6 minutes without my lower back feeling like it was on fire. So, I started out slow. Each day I tried to add a minute or two onto my walking time. I have a long sort of living room/dining room, so I just walked inside my house. The even terrain probably helped a little. With the help of my fitbit I was also making sure I got up every hour I was awake and got in at least 250 steps for that hour.

Those things got me more used to getting up and around and the back pain was letting up, but still not that greatly improved. What helped me in a major way was investing in a pair of really good shoes. The difference was like night and day. After I changed shoes I found I could walk without any pain at all. It's been a little over 2 months since I changed to better shoes and I can walk as long as I want to.

nowine4me · January 2018

Agree with ^ walk a little a few times a day — morning, lunch and after work. Then add a minute or two to each segment per week. Your increase your stamina and will have less pain as time goes by. Do check with a doc if it persists. I’ve lost 85# in 2 years with walking being my primary form of exercise

scarlett_k · January 2018

Pain in your back is probably more to do with the extra weight your body has to carry than from being sedentary. I started getting back pains when I put on a lot of weight, and the pains have gone since I have dropped it. I wouldn't push too much if it is really hurting but start small. Maybe consult a doctor to work out a safe exercise plan.

GottaBurnEmAll · January 2018

Agree with the advice to invest in good shoes and progress very slowly. Don't try to go all out at once. It's okay to walk 5 minutes a day until it no longer hurts and then add another minute and then walk six minutes a day until that no longer hurts and so forth. That's how you build up and strengthen underused muscles.

Cherimoose · January 2018

A couple thing that often help..

Focus on pulling in your ab muscles while you walk, because the abs brace your pelvis and spine. Avoid listening to music, which can distract from keeping your abs tight.
Let me know if the abs thing doesn't make sense.

Also wear shoes that don't have a raised heel. These are very hard to find! Almost all shoes have a raised heel, which creates a clunkier walking gait, adding stress to the joints. Look for "zero heel" shoes, like skateboard shoes, which is what i walk in, or Altras.

Since you sit a lot, your hip flexor muscles are probably tight, which can end up causing back pain. Try doing this stretch for them a few times a day, and before walking too: youtube.com/watch?v=YQmpO9VT2X4
I wouldn't do other stretches before walking unless a physical therapist recommends them.

Keep us updated!

Nikion901 · January 2018

I hear you ... excess weight (specially in the middle of the body) and long hours sitting at a desk are a good formula for weak hips and leg muscles, as well as weak core muscles ... so starting out slowly on a core strength fitness routine will go a long way to helping you keep mobile upright for longer periods of time ...
... at least that is what worked for me ...
There are a lot of beginner core strength videos on YouTube and even in the MFP Healthy blogs ... look some up, start a short introductory program, like you would with physical therapy ... 10 minutes 3 times a week and then increasing the time by a few minutes after the couple of weeks have passed ... and see how that helps.

Also want to stress a caution for you ... my weak core muscles from a life and work style as you describe for yourself made my spine more prone to injury and displaced discs between the spine vertebrae ... and I am now ... 40 years later ... unable to stand for longer than 5 minutes without my legs and feet going numb ... because I did rupture a lot of discs and once those puppies are busted ... well, they are busted!

Take it easy at the start ... but take it!

Halloweenmom31 · January 2018

I would like to say how proud I am of you for doing something to help yourself!!!!!! That’s wonderful!!!! I have a friend that is your size. I try to encourage him to do something,anything to get healthy! If you would like to add me as a support buddy I’d be honored! I don’t usually have friends on here but your story moves me.. I would love to help! ❤️

Packerjohn · January 2018

Lots of good advice already. I would consider talking to a doctor and/or a physical therapist before starting an exercise program. I would bet the back pain is due to the extra weight, in addition to all the sitting. It would be good to be cleared of any other issues though. I'm normal weight for my height and have had crawling to the toilet level back pain. After MRI, x-rays and an exam by one of the best neurosurgeons in our area I had piriformis syndrome. Asked what was the cause, he said too much sitting (even though I lift and walk/run).

Also you mentioned an ankle injury. The body is designed to move in specific ways. Your ankle should be mobile, the knee stable, the hips mobile and the lower back sable, etc. If you have an injury you may be compensating in some way. When you compensate, you many actually be causing the joints above or below the injury to try and adapt, causing pain.

See a doctor and get at it in a slow, progressive manner. Best of luck.

musicfan68 · January 2018

If you can't do 10 minutes at a time, do 5 minutes twice a day, then 3 times a day, etc, then increase your time by a few more minutes each time.

fatmanonthemoon2 · January 2018

Wow! I'm very thankful for all the comments and words of encouragement! I wasn't expecting this much so thank you very much.

It's refreshing to be able to come to a place, post something like this, and not be judged... It may not seem like much but it means a lot to me.

I appreciate all the advice... you have no idea what you've done for me.

manderson27 · January 2018

I have Arthritis and back issues. I have found hiking poles to be a brilliant addition to my life. My physiopherapist reccomended I try them. They help take a bit of weight of your joints and help keep you stable. They also give you a bit of arm movement in your walk to burn a few more calories.

I felt a bit silly at first but they are seriously a big help. You should get them from an outdoor shop where they can check they are adjusted correctly for your height.

fitandpainfree · January 2018

I too am highly over weight (5'4 and 212pds) and suffer from lower back pain and chronic pain flare ups and walking is hard for long periods. Go slow. Get up every couple of hours or so and take a walk around your office/room or hallway. Go for as long as you can and try to increase daily. If you can only do a couple laps around your room or go up/down hallway a couple times at first, Great! It's better than nothing and you'll begin to feel better. I walk around the play yard at my school during outside time twice a morning for about 10-15 minutes while the kiddos play. It's slow and leisure, but it's something and the added benefit is I can still supervise my little ones. GOOD LUCK!

PAV8888 · January 2018

If pool exercise is too difficult to organize I would urge you to see if you can incorporate 3 minutes breaks (250 steps) every hour.

Or if you can arrange to pace while on the phone.

Uncertain quality but they do make under desk bikes (just the pedal assembly)

But, you should be aware that your weight loss will be primarily driven by your eating, not your exercise decisions.

Make it a rule to not put anything in your mouth unless and until you've logged it.

Then review your log and evaluate the items you ate. What needs did they fullfil? Satiaty, taste, hedonism, comfort, what have you. Then evaluate if they were worth the calories from your budget. If not, change and modify them!

averyhabbott · January 2018

Good luck with your journey! The pool is definitely your friend for now. Not only will it help alleviate the weight which will help your back, you'll be able to push your cardio and muscles harder and for longer as a result, so you'll be getting some of the best workout possible.

It might be best to keep the exercise fairly light for now and focus on losing weight through diet first. If you're anything like me, that's not what you want to hear, and you'll be antsy, but don't push yourself to injury. With the above-average weight on your muscles, joints, and spine, you're going to have issues with longer recovery from injuries, so avoiding them in the first place is the most surefire path to avoid getting taken entirely out of the game for long enough to get discouraged.

Also worth noting - muscle burns calories, even at rest. Weight lifting will probably slow your weight loss initially, but it'll speed up your fat burning and help give you some great non-scale victories.

With jumping into any exercise, it's pretty universally recommended to talk to your primary care doctor beforehand to *kitten* any risks you might have.

Once again, good luck!

zyxst · January 2018

For me, I started at 313# and had back/hip pains from walking more than 5 minutes. I walked (using a walking stick) for as long as I could stand the pain, then stopped. I repeated this every day, sometimes a couple times a day. As I lost weight, the pain went away and I could walk for longer times. I was so happy when I made it around the block!

I think losing weight will ease the pain, but check with your doctor like others said.

try2again · January 2018

I like the advice you've received, but I'll just address the recumbent bike. That's how I started when I was at my highest weight and was pretty limited by joint issues. I love it and still use it even though I've lost 25% of my body weight. I like to put my favorite upbeat music on and keep the beat, and the time tends to go by quickly. Mine is the Marcy ME-709 on Amazon- very sturdy & quiet and not expensive at all.

Morbidly obese, lower back hurts when walking

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