As a San Diego Chiropractor, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you let the seams out in those slacks or skirt, there are some things that you may want to know about those few seemingly benign extra pounds you may have gained. Over time, they can add up to a surprising number of health problems from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back pain and joint degeneration. Even a few additional pounds put undue stress on organs, like the heart, not to mention on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Over half (62%) of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a substantial percentage and a truly gigantic problem (no pun intended).
Though it is capable of making a surprising array of compensations the human body was not designed to transport surplus poundage in the form of body fat. Just an additional 20 or 30 pounds can, in point of fact, overload and overburden the musculoskeletal system. Excess weight in the belly, for example, requires that the body compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This angle produces compression in the joints of the low back. Painful inflammation results as this joint compression impinges nerve activity. The majority of men and women that have a heavy midsectionfeel substantical pain in their low back generated by a compressed sciatic nerve or spinal misalignments that impinge nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. If not addresses, misaligned vertebra not only persist in irritating the degenerative changes that have already taken place, but can develop into new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
Here are the ways in which chiropractic treatment can help. First of all, to be clear, a healthy body weight is required in order for the musculoskeletal system to function in the way it is designed to. Chiropractic treatment can not only relieve pain generated by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve impingements in the spinal column and help to get mobility back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, particularly in the low back, hips, and knees. And, of course exercise and physical activity are a lot easier, and healthier for the body, when the the joints have good movement and the spine is aligned. Not only will exercise help with weight reduction, but it can actually slow the pace of degenerative changes as over the years.
Healthcare professionals, like your chiropractor, can talk to you about your diet and exercise choices. In addition to assisting people suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors can provide trained guidance regarding the type of lifestyle changes that can help a person to stay healthier, more vigorous, and more active through the years. Arthritis and immobility due to aging don’t have to be inevitable. The human body was intended for a lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been throwing your weight around and all you’ve been getting in return is back and joint pain,as your San Diego chiropractor and someone who cares about your health, I can help relieve your suffering. Make an appointment today!