Debunking the myths of weight loss remedies

Categories: Herbal Remedies, Weight Loss Remedies
Tags: cure, overweight, pain, Weight Loss

September 18, 2009
Debunking the myths of weight loss remedies

On the Mend The Gloucester Daily Times Fri Sep 18, 2009, 05:50 AM EDT

There are a lot of people who blame their aches and pains on being overweight. From knee pain to back pain and more, carrying around extra weight sure appears to be a bad idea. Compound this with the negative social connotation of having a few extra pounds, and you have a great excuse for nearly all of your physical issues. But is weight loss really necessary to get rid of orthopedic problems?

“Lose some weight, it will help with your pain” is one of the greatest myths in healthcare that needs debunking. Although it does occur, it is a rare occasion when a person’s weight actually contributes to an orthopedic issue. In fact, it is estimated that far less than one percent of the patients in a physical therapy clinic actually need to lose weight to improve their condition.

So why are many people so quick to blame weight as the source of the problem? Simple — it’s a very plausible explanation for why they feel badly. People deduce that more body weight increases strain on body parts, which in turn means more pain.

Below are several very common orthopedic problems that occur in the population and the heavy truth about extra weight effects them.

Losing weight will help the bulging disc in my back — Myth. The anatomy of a disc in the low back is designed to bear heavy loads when standing up straight — the peak weight-bearing position. In this position, the disc can hold up to twelve hundred pounds, so unless you’re carrying a small car on your back, losing twenty pounds probably won’t do the trick.

Losing weight in my abdomen and arms will help with my neck pain — Myth. Like the low-back, neck pain is almost always mechanical in nature, and cannot be remedied with diet and exercise. Various movement problems can arise from any one of the sensitive structures in the neck. These movement issues cause incongruences between tissues, often leading to a pinched nerve or an acute neck lock. Shedding pounds will not help to remedy these mechanical impairments.

Losing weight will help my heel pain — Myth. Many practitioners falsely associate increased weight through the heel with plantar fasciitis. While being on the heavy side may not help, plantar fasciitis is classically considered to be a problem that originates at the ankle joint — not on the bottom of the foot and probably not because of weight. Fixing the mechanics of the ankle and any walking abnormalities will give you the best possible chance of being pain-free.

Losing weight will help a meniscus tear in the knee — Myth. A meniscus tear is a structural deficit that causes catching, locking, popping and pain in the knee. When torn, the meniscus (a small ring of cartilage in the knee) is very sensitive to twisting movements of the knee, or with full bending and extending. Standing still directly on a meniscus tear rarely causes significant pain and is why losing weight won’t help.

Sciatica can be resolved by losing weight — Myth. Sciatica is a disease process that involves pinching lumbar nerves that exit the back. Losing weight does nothing to alter the degree of nerve compression, and therefore is not a viable solution to any sciatic pain running down the back of the leg.

Losing weight will help people with severe knee and hip joint arthritis — Truth. Joint compression often enhances joint breakdown. Losing ten pounds of body weight decreases the compressive forces going through your knee by three-hundred percent. It’s why orthopedic surgeons want you to lose weight prior to a joint replacement — it helps ensure longevity of the new joint.

It is infrequent, at most, when a patient’s body size impacts their ability to recover from an orthopedic injury. Most problems that can be remedied with physical therapy are mechanical in nature and are not ‘weight’ dependent — so don’t feel bad about how much you weigh. Physical therapy can help you get rid of your pain — no matter how big or small.

Natural Remedies Center

Debunking the myths of weight loss remedies

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