We put enough demands on our bodies and back every day without adding the burden of excessive weight. Studies — and common sense — tell us that obesity contributes substantially to lower-back pain and arthritis, and it has a deleterious impact all over the body.

For one thing, excess weight forces a change in a person’s center of gravity and strains the spine. When the spine is pressured to move in ways for which it was not designed, any number of physical problems may result. Nerves that control all the body parts emanate between the spine’s bones, the vertebrae, and a vertebra pushed out of line by the strain of extra weight can pinch a nerve and cause pain in a shoulder or leg.

As the center of gravity shifts it can result in a change in the position of the head and cause the lower back to sway and push the abdominal area forward. People who are obese, according to some chiropractic experts, are prone to headaches, tight neck muscles and pain in the lower back, knees and hips. The extra weight is ultimately borne by the feet and it can strain the arches in the feet to the point of collapse.

Chiropractors are trained not only to treat the effects of obesity, but also are skilled in the areas of nutrition and exercise. So, if you have a weight problem, and the attendant symptoms, talk to your chiropractor.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com