Managing Back Pain After Bariatric Surgery

After Bariatric Surgery

woman holding lower back with both hands

The bariatric process is full of ups, downs, and new sensations. Most patients know what they should expect after surgery based on their postoperative packet and some research they may have done online. However, there are a few issues that invariably take some patients by surprise, not least of which is the potential for joint pain after their surgery as they are losing weight. This can be especially pronounced in the back. Many patients wonder why this is happening because they fully expect to have less pain because of their weight loss, not more. Fortunately, this temporary situation was resolved with some time and exercise.

Why This Happens

Back pain after bariatric surgery is not only joint but also expected because the body changes so rapidly that it becomes tough for the muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissue structures to adapt. You can imagine some muscles have significant pressure on them, having held the excess weight for quite some time. Others have remained unused for years, staying relatively weak. Very rapidly, the muscles then have to compensate for the weight loss. However, they often need more time to do so. First, the patient is losing weight rapidly, and second, there’s a good 6-8 weeks of recovery before patients can return to full function.

How to Mitigate This Back Pain Issue

Follow your postop instructions carefully. Don’t try to lose weight faster than your surgeon told you to expect. It’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement and work out much harder or eat much less, but doing so Increases the risk of injury and malnutrition.

Get onto your post-operative strength training program as soon as you’re cleared to do so. Many of our patients think that diet alone is enough to be successful. To be sure, diet is essential in the early weight loss process. However, exercise is also crucial for long-term success. Further, don’t limit your exercise to cardio only. Strength training is an essential part of any exercise routine as well. You can speak to your surgeon, a trainer, or an exercise physiologist about what back exercises you should perform to strengthen those muscles and help them adapt to your new weight reality.

Don’t Worry, It’s Temporary

As you already know, the body is very adaptable. Eventually, your muscles will catch up, and the pain will disappear. How quickly it goes away is mainly up to you and your willingness and ability to do the necessary exercises to build strength where you haven’t had it before.

Of course, we encourage you to contact us or bring up this or any other concerns you may have in a support group. We are always here to help and consider ourselves your partner in weight loss for life.