Can Spinal Misalignment Cause Weight Gain?

The spine's design is based on movement and function, and its natural curves and neutral alignment are key to its strength and flexibility. Each spinal section has a characteristic curve type that helps balance the other sections for optimal function, and if certain vertebral bodies shift out of alignment with the rest of the spine, problems can occur.

The spine's alignment and balance are key to its stability. The spine acts as the structural anchor for the upper body, so a misaligned spine can have a number of effects. Spinal misalignment can contribute to weight gain through pain, limited mobility, and compression-related nerve and hormone issues.

The effects of excessive weight gain on spinal health are well known, but about the reverse? Can a disruption to the spine's alignment contribute to weight gain?

Weight Gain and Spinal Health

One of the most important lifestyle changes a person can make is losing weight. Weight loss means less pressure and strain on the body's joints and the spine.

The spine consists of vertebrae (bones) stacked on top of one another that are separated by an intervertebral disc.

The discs of the spine have many roles: working together to facilitate the spine's flexibility, shock absorption, structural support, and providing cushioning between vertebrae.

More pressure on the spine means more pressure on the discs, and over time, this can contribute to disc desiccation and degenerative disc disease.

Once disc degeneration begins, it can cause the spine to shift out of alignment as the degenerative changes cause increasing instability over time.

Carrying extra weight increases the spine's mechanical stress, and weight gain in the abdominal area, in particular, can cause the pelvis to shift forward in position and the lumbar spine to develop an unhealthy curve and misalignment.

Those with excess body weight expose the spine to extra force during activity; each extra pound of body weight increases pressure on the spine and its surroundings during movement.

Again, the effects of weight gain on spinal and joint health are well-documented, but what about the impact of a misaligned spine on a person's body weight?

What's a Spinal Misalignment?

The spine is one long structure that acts as the anchor for the upper body, an attachment point for multiple muscles and supportive structures, protects organs within the thoracic cage and the spinal nerves of the spinal cord.

The spine consists of three main sections that balance and stabilize each other: the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (middle/upper back), and the lumbar spine (lower back).

The position of each vertebral body can affect the position of other vertebrae if it shifts out of alignment, and the number of misaligned vertebrae shape the spinal misalignment's severity and potential effects.

If a healthy spinal curve is replaced by an unhealthy curve, the spine's alignment is disrupted, and this exposes the spine, its surroundings, and the body in general to uneven forces.

So a misaligned spine occurs when one or more of its vertebrae have shifted in position and lost their normal placement in relation to the other vertebral bodies: also known as vertebral subluxation.

Now that we've explored how excess weight can shape spinal health and defined spinal misalignment, let's discuss how vertebral subluxations can contribute to weight gain.

Spinal Misalignment and Weight Gain

If the spine is misaligned, a number of effects can develop, and the further the spine shifts out of a healthy alignment, the more disruptive its effects can be.

A misaligned spine can contribute to weight gain indirectly through pain and low activity levels, disrupting nerve communication and hormone levels, and digestive issues.

Pain

Vertebral subluxations can be painful, particularly in older adults, and can cause muscle pain, localized back pain, and nerve pain felt throughout the body.

A misaligned spine doesn't just expose its individual structures to uneven forces, but also its surrounding muscles used for support and stability, so muscle pain can develop as the spine's supportive muscles strain to counteract the spine's unhealthy position.

Back pain is common with misalignment due to the adverse spinal tension it introduces, and nerve pain can develop if a vertebra shifts in alignment and compresses a nearby nerve, causing discomfort anywhere along the nerve's pathway.

Chronic back pain can cause the spine to become less flexible, and a reduced range of motion can further contribute to a sedentary lifestyle and cause weight gain due to low activity levels.

Nerve/Hormone Interruption

And if nerves are compressed, their ability to communicate can also be disrupted, and this can impact signals being sent to and from the hypothalamus: essential for metabolism and appetite regulation.

As spinal misalignments interrupt nerve pathways, stress and hormone imbalances can also contribute to weight gain (high cortisol levels).

Digestive Issues

Poor posture and a misaligned spine can also compress the abdomen, and less space for the digestive organs to work within can slow digestion and nutrient absorption.

So poor spinal health can contribute to weight gain, just as weight gain can contribute to poor spinal health, initiating a damaging cycle that can be difficult to stop once it's developed over time.

Conclusion

When it comes to the spine, maintaining healthy eating habits and activity levels are key. The spine's design is movement-based, so regular healthy exercise can help maintain spinal flexibility and disc hydration.

Also known as a vertebral subluxation, spinal misalignment means one or more vertebral bodies have moved out of their natural and healthy alignment with the rest of the spine, and when this occurs, the unbalanced shift can introduce excess and uneven pressure to the spine, its discs, surrounding muscles, and supportive structures.

The spine's health and alignment can contribute indirectly to weight gain through pain and low activity levels, disruptions to nerve communication, hormone levels, and digestive issues, and weight gain can contribute to a misaligned spine through excess pressure, strain, and early- onset spinal degeneration.

When it comes to preserving long-term spinal health and function, the key is maintaining the spine's balance and health through cultivating a healthy diet and activity level.

Here at the CLEAR Scoliosis Institute, patients benefit from comprehensive treatment plans including recommended lifestyle modifications for improving the spine's overall strength, function, and long-term health.