Overweight and obesity
Being overweight or obese is by itself a cause of back pain, and the reason is also related to the spine and the soft tissue around the vertebrae. Extra weight puts extra pressure upon the articulations of the spine, the knee, and many others. You’ll be carrying all that weight all day hours, and the articulations will ultimately start to suffer.
The most common type of back pain in obese and overweight patients is lower back pain. That’s because the lower back is where the most weight lies when sitting or standing. In this area, we have special vertebrae called lumbar vertebrae. They are equipped with bigger and thick bodies that make up for an individual’s normal weight. But they are not designed to support excessive weight and start to fall upon each other in such cases.
Obesity can cause back pain alone, but in most cases, it is only one of many reasons. Obesity itself can trigger nerve-related problems. Patients may also adopt the poor posture and undergo muscle-related issues. Altogether, these causes trigger symptoms that can be difficult to treat, even when patients lose some weight. Still, one of their recommendations is to achieve a healthy weight.