I hope this finds you safe and healthy. This week has a lot of emotions floating around for many of us. Some may be sad or angry that they can’t see their families for the holidays… others may feel relief that they don’t have the obligation to see their family. Each point of view is valid and understandable. I recently was talking to my therapist about how this year has been rough in general, and I know I’m not just talking about me, which led to the idea of surrender. Surrendering expectations, rules, plans, goals, etc. and finding your true “why”… and being ok with the fact that the “why” may be just being able to exist today. As a recovering perfectionist and high acheiver, this idea gave me immediate dread. But here I am, embracing the surrender even if it’s just a small part of me.
This is part 4 in a 4 part series regarding myths and truths about low back pain. You may feel some challenges or biases come up if you haven’t heard these statements before. It is ok to challenge your mindset and look at various perspectives.
Myth #4: I am overweight and that is why I have low back pain.
Things to ponder:
- Most medical providers suggest losing weight to reduce joint and musculoskeletal pain…and here is another sassy rebuttal… to be honest, that is a lazy answer. Your medical provider didn’t go to 12 years of higher education, clinicals, and residency to give you an answer that Google could give you. Now, we all know at least one person (or you are the person), who did lose weight and their pain reduced, and this is not to take away that experience.
- Understanding the complicated relationship between pain, stress, nutrition, exercise, sleep, behaviors, and beliefs is more likely at play than weight alone. Can weight be affected by all of the above, absolutely, but it’s kind of like the chicken or the egg scenario. Find a medical practitioner who understands these complicated scenarios and will help you navigate them.