How Does Excess Weight Impact My Joints and Back?

Managing your weight goals can be a tricky task to accomplish, but it helps to know you are not alone in this journey! SimpleTherapy is a personalized exercise therapy program to help you eliminate muscle pain while meeting your lifestyle goals. Individuals can struggle to meet their weight loss goals when they are experiencing muscle or joint pain. Similarly, it is not uncommon for individuals to have MSK conditions due to carrying excess weight, especially in the back and knees.

SimpleTherapy can get you on the right track to Progress Yourself® and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Extra pressure on your joints can cause soreness, tension, and pain. Even a weight loss of 5 or 10 pounds could provide immediate and long-term health benefits. The activities you were once able to do could be a part of your life once again.

Did you know? A 2005 study in Arthritis & Rheumatism of overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis found that losing one pound of weight resulted in four pounds of pressure being removed from the knees. In other words, losing just 10 pounds would relieve 40 pounds of pressure from your knees. *Benefits of Weight Loss by the Arthritis Foundation

Do you feel the urge to reach for that box of candy or chocolates when you are stressed? There may be a physiological explanation for this almost ubiquitous behavior. In a recent article published in the New York Times, scientists found that sugar lowered cortisol levels in patients undergoing a randomized trial compared to patients treated with artificial sweetener aspartame. Cortisol is the hormone in the body released during times of stress as part of the “flight or fight” response.

These results are very preliminary and are not meant to give an excuse for people to run out and overindulge in sweets, but may shed some light in how we perceive and respond to a stressful stimulus and how we can modulate that response. A time proven stress reliever has been to engage in regular physical activity and exercises. Even if you can’t make it to the gym, a simple stretching routine can soothe those nerves. At SimpleTherapy, we have an array of exercise programs for various parts of the body that can help stretch and relax tight muscle groups.

SimpleTherapy’s team of doctors, physical therapists, behavioral therapists and clinical psychologists have designed a treatment regimen that teaches you all the ways you can control your pain. Through 15-minute guided exercise videos, you will be able to form a consistent habit of caring for your body and taking some time each day to stretch, eliminate daily aches, and maintain your gains. We have health coaches are available 24/7 to guide and support you.

“Great experience for me. I am able to move better and kneel easier now. I do the therapy every day and it is helping me improve my function. Pain still present but lessened.” -Ruby C., 66, Gainesville, VA

Just like Ruby, thousands of our members have experienced relief in their muscles and joints and have created a therapy routine that is right for their schedule and adapts to their needs. Weight loss is not a goal that takes place overnight, but with the right therapy, balanced meals, and exercise, it is achievable. It is never too late to prioritize your health so you can get back to doing what you love.

Download the SimpleTherapy app and start to #ProgressYourself today!