Bariatric procedures such as gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgeries have been known to help resolve medical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Recent studies are now showing that undergoing the weight loss surgery that limits the amount of food one can ingest can also help alleviate lower back pain in morbidly obese patients. The study of 38 patients with pre-existing back conditions experienced a 44 percent decrease in pain and discomfort six months after surgery that resulted in substantial weight loss. However, more research is needed to prove bariatric surgery’s efficiency in relieving back pain over longer time periods.

The study is significant in that more than 1/3 of U.S. adults- more than 72 million people- were obese in 2005-2006, and an estimated 75-85 percent of all Americans will experience some form of back pain in their lifetime. Although people that suffer from obesity often have a higher rate of hip and knee arthritis, there is little proven information that connects extra weight to lumbar spinal degeneration, one of the primary causes of chronic lower back pain. Those that suffer from back pain are often advised to lose weight, but the connection between the two medical conditions is yet to be proven.