Your body shape determines how you carry your weight

Most women fit into four primary body shapes:

• Apple: triangle downwards, with weight accumulation primarily in the lower abdomen
• Pear: triangle upwards, weight accumulation primarily in the hips and thighs
• Banana: straight/rectangular, weight accumulation in the butt and abdomen
• Hourglass: triangles opposing and facing inwards, fat stored in the backs of the arms and inner thighs

These generalized shapes refer to your skeletal structure, and they are important because they determine where weight, from both muscle and fat, will be distributed throughout your body. Understanding your body shape is essential to understanding the way you carry your weight which has important implications in back pain. 

Understanding your body shape helps you be work out in smarter, not harder

Body weight is a primary factor in back pain; because the greatest amount of your weight is concentrated in the upper body, your spine is tasked with supporting this weight while keeping you upright. Every woman’s body is completely unique, and that includes a completely unique target weight. Every pound over this target weight represents a further burden for the spine, especially the vertebrae in the lower back. Women who tend to gain weight disproportionately in the midsection should take extra care as this is the area of fat storage linked to heart disease and other conditions.

Understanding your body shape to control your back pain

Controlling for your body shape, you can more effectively choose exercises and foods that will help keep weight off in problem areas. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we can help you create a plan that incorporates diet, exercise and chiropractic care to prevent back pain from becoming a permanent installment in your life. Body shape is a primary part of biomechanics; understanding your particular musculoskeletal formatting is essential to moving effectively and keeping back pain at bay. If you are interested in finding out more about how your body shape affects your back pain, give our office in Sacramento a call to schedule an appointment today.