If you’ve got a flat tire, what do you do? Fix the puncture / change the tire, or kick everyone out of the car and lighten the load?

Guess what, it’s exactly the same for the body. If you’ve got a #badback or #kneepain, reducing the load (your weight) isn’t going to fix the knee or spinal injury. Yes, there will be less pressure on the injured area – but it’s not an alternative to treatment. It’s complimentary and can/should be done in conjunction with #chiropractic or #physiotherapy care and #rehabilitation.

I recently discharged a client whose #backpain had recovered. He couldn’t remember feeling this good since his secondary school days. The first time I met him, he kept telling me that he knows he’s overweight, and he had not exercised for at least 20 years. He also kept telling me he was getting old, and that he knows back pain and spinal degeneration is part and parcel of the aging process.

But guess what? 20 weeks after I met him, he’s feeling way better. He can sleep well and without pain; can stand, walk and bend without being overly careful; and he wakes in the morning feeling fresh. He’s 20 weeks older, weighs the same, and his back pain is relieved.

This is the difference between patching the symptoms, and finding and treating the root cause.

He’s going to start on a wellness program where we’ll definitely encourage and facilitate healthy lifestyle changes, including posture, stretching, strengthening exercises, and diet (and weight loss, hopefully!), to keep him well and happy.

So to recap: I’m not saying weight loss is not useful for back pain or knee injuries. It does reduce stress and strain on the joints. However, losing weight is not going to fix your back and solve the knee problem.

It’s not a “real fix”, but a “quick fix” – not that losing weight happens that quick!