About This Blog:
- The spine carries the body’s weight and distributes it during certain activities or while at rest.
- Overweight or obese individuals have an increased risk of developing a structural deficiency in the spine or sustaining serious damage.
- Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine explains why lack of exercise and being overweight negatively affects regions of the spine.
How Does Being Overweight Affect The Spine?
Being overweight puts added pressure to areas of the spine, which can damage the vertebrae and cause symptoms similar to those of painful, degenerative conditions like osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and more. One of the most vulnerable regions of the spine is the low back, or the lumbar spine. 
The excess body weight to this area and the cervical spine (neck) can lead to an unhealthy posture, low back pain, osteoporosis or osteoarthritis.
There are many serious diseases and disorders that come with being overweight or obese that don’t just affect the spine. Researchers have found obesity is linked to coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and colon cancer. It’s imperative patients maintain a healthy weight and exercise for both their spine and heart health.
Exercise And Spine Health
Exercise, which includes strengthen training and aerobic conditioning, helps keep the back muscles limber, flexible and strong. When your back muscles are weak from lack of exercise, they have a difficult time supporting areas of the spine, including your lower back and neck. Without strong, healthy muscles to support your spine, your pelvis and shoulders may begin to tilt forward causing pain, discomfort and increased curvature of the spine in certain areas.
Add a sedentary lifestyle to horrible eating habits, and we’ve got a recipe for disaster! This combination of unhealthy habits can affect the density and strength of your bones, causing spinal fractures and the development of some of the conditions we mentioned earlier.
Change Your Lifestyle For The Better!
Everybody has to start somewhere when it comes to getting healthy, and although going to the gym for the first time in many years may be intimidating, but it’s important you make that first step for lasting health. Talk to Dr. Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine today about how you can makes changes to your life for better health!
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.