Weight loss and exercise for patients
Once a patient has worked with a doctor to determine
whether or not he or she is in need of weight loss,
the patient is ready to develop an exercise and diet
program to achieve the desired level of weight loss. Several
practical guidelines that comprise a sustainable
diet and exercise program are outlined below.
Beginning a safe weight loss program
Before
beginning any weight loss program, it is important
to ensure that the program is safe. It
is advisable that the patient first meet with a health
professional who will take into account any back
problems and back pain the patient is experiencing
and who will help design an appropriate weight loss
program.
Patients should expect some initial pain when they
start to exercise the back as part of their weight
loss program. However, it is important to remain
cautious and aware of any pain or discomfort while
doing exercises. Any severe pain or major changes
that occur should be reported to the patient’s
doctor. Working with a medical professional is necessary
throughout the duration of the weight loss program
in order to properly monitor developments in the
patient’s condition.
Gentle exercises for weight loss
Beginning
the weight loss program with gentle low-impact exercise,
such as walking or water therapy, can help ease a
patient back into regular physical activity without
overstressing or straining muscles in the back or
other joints in the body. Exercises that would normally
be too painful to do on land are often tolerable
for the patient to do in the water. This is because
the water counteracts gravity and helps to support
one’s weight in a controlled fashion.
The water also provides friction against movement,
allowing strengthening and conditioning, while reducing
the risk of further injury from losing one’s
balance.
The support provided by the water while doing exercises
can be especially helpful for anyone who is overweight,
as the effect of buoyancy essentially negates the
extra body weight, allowing free movement in the
water. It is also quite effective for anyone with
a painful joint condition, such as osteoarthritis.
How exercise and weight loss help the back
While all of the factors of how excess weight may
cause or aggravate back pain are not known, it has
been firmly established that lack of exercise is
a major cause of back pain, and conversely, a regular
and sustained exercise program will help alleviate
episodes of back pain and prevent (or minimize) future
episodes of back pain.
Movement and exercise are the only ways to foster
blood flow that distributes nutrients into the disc
space and soft tissues in and around the spine. This
exchange of nutrients through exercise keeps discs,
muscles, ligaments and joints in the back healthy.
After experiencing pain or having back surgery,
many patients tend to overprotect their backs and
avoid exercise. However, in most cases, movement
and exercise provide more pain relief than bed
rest and inactivity. Bed rest is only helpful for
a short time after an episode of back pain, such
as one or two days.
When patients do not get sufficient exercise over
a long period of time, the supporting structures
in the back become stiff, weak, and deconditioned.
The overall lack of conditioning results in increased
pain, which can cause patients to become even
more inactive. This creates a vicious cycle
of more back, leading to more inactivity, leading
to more pain, etc.
Episodes of back pain may also be exacerbated if
the patient gains additional weight during periods
of inactivity. The more overweight the patient, the
more severe and/or more frequent the patient’s
back pain is likely to be. For people who are overweight,
even small amounts of weight loss may be helpful,
as weight loss of even just 10 percent of body weight
can improve a patient’s overall health (2).
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