Back & Neck Pain Causes & Risk Factors How Obesity Can Cause a Herniated Disc and Back Pain By Anne Asher, CPT facebook linkedin Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert. Learn about our editorial process Anne Asher, CPT Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT on January 21, 2020 linkedin Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist with experience in hospital-based acute care and outpatient therapy with both children and adults. Learn about our Medical Review Board Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT Updated on February 12, 2020 Print Carrying extra load in the stomach area causes the pelvis to tilt forward and the back to arch, which is known as lordosis. According to Dr. Kevin Cichocki, clinical chiropractor and founder of Palladian Health, this alteration in the position of your pelvis and lumbar spine may contribute to the wearing away of outer fibers in the back part of your discs. These outer fibers contain and protect the soft material that is responsible for cushioning and shock absorption in the spine. Universal Images Group / Getty Images Over time, the wear and tear on the fibers can cause problems. "The microscopic radial tears, as they are called, may lead to a complete rupture," says Cichocki. "A rupture of the fibers allows the soft material on the inside to escape and land on a nerve root." This is how the herniated disc causes pain. Most herniated discs occur between the side and back of the vertebra. Obesity, however, is not the only thing that puts pressure on your discs. Your body position greatly influences the health of these shock-absorbing cushions, too. Sitting puts the most pressure, followed by standing. Lying on your back places the least amount of strain on your discs and, depending on your injury, may help relieve symptoms. Could You Have a Herniated Disc? In general, someone with a herniated disc may experience symptoms such as muscle spasm, weakness, numbness or tingling. The location of one's symptoms can depend on the location of the herniation. The two most common locations for disc herniation are the cervical spine (neck area) and lumbar spine (lower back). Discs that are higher up can affect the arms; discs lower down the spine would be more likely to affect the lower back and legs, resulting in severe low back pain and pain running down the legs. See your healthcare provider if you're experiencing any of these symptoms. If your herniated disc causes sciatica and 6 months of conservative treatment does not help, it may be the extra weight you're carrying that is hindering your healing. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Deyo RA, Bass JE. Lifestyle and low-back pain. The influence of smoking and obesity. Spine. May 1989. Hage, M. (2005). The Back Pain Book. Atlanta, Ga. Peachtree Publishers Peytremann-Bridevaux I, Santos-Eggimann B. Health correlates of overweight and obesity in adults aged 50 years and over: results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Obesity and health in Europeans aged > or = 50 years. Swiss Med Wkly. May 2008. Telephone Interview. Kevin Cichocki, DC, founder of Palladian Health and Chairman of the Board of the Erie County Medical Center. October 2008. Erl Pettman MCPA. FCAMT. OMT. What is a 'typical' posterolateral disc protrusion and how is it so successfully managed by the passive extension protocol innovated by Robin McKenzie? An evidence-based review. Lecture excerpt from the Level I NAIOMT course taught at Andrews University, Michigan