engleski

Low back pain: fat related condition?

Low back pain (LBP) and obesity are major public health concerns that affect people worldwide and whose prevalence continues to rise as well as medical expenses. Epidemiological studies show an increase in mortality associated with overweight and obesity. To date, the adipose tissue is considered as an endocrine organ able to produce various adipokines. Numerous studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between obesity and LBP, although barely several of them raised awareness of the role of fat cells and their negative endocrine impact via altered metabolism. Intervertebral discs, which are structure with nutrient supply at tissue level through the whole body, may suffer and gradually degenerate as a consequence of failure of nutrient supply to disc cells. Novel studies reported that disc degeneration was significantly associated with overweight and obesity, not only the lumbar region but also the cervical and thoracic regions. Overweight may lead to an increase in adipokine secretion ; thus an intervertebral discs in entire spine may be influenced by pro-inflammatory cytokines. Various mechanisms may be involved in disc degeneration in the setting of overweight and obesity, but further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism through which overweight affects disc degeneration since both direct mechanical stress and indirect factors affect the intervertebral discs. Understanding the role of fat tissue in disc degeneration process may help in developing novel therapeutic strategies. Thereafter, recommendation of specific exercises and weight loss program could be an important suitable treatment for LBP.

low back pain, fat tissue, adipokines

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