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Can You Get Back Pain Relief with a Tummy Tuck?

asked 3 years ago by glory_lopez in 06335
Latest answer by Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Question viewed 8,358 times
Tags: back pain

Can a tummy tuck decrease the pain and frequency of back aches?

12 answers to Can You Get Back Pain Relief with a Tummy Tuck?

Your back will be better supported

After a tummy tuck with tightening of the fascia, patients literally have an "internal corset", almost like having a back brace, permanently. We know that having strong tight abdominal muscles improves low back pain and the tendency toward lordosis (concave back and protrusion of the belly). Interestingly, after tummy tuck procedures, patients note they get full more quickly after eating, also probably a result of having a tighter abdominal fascia. Many of our patients note much... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Tummy Tuck can improve posture and back pain

I have had several patients with chronic back pain, who had reasonable improvement with their back pain after a tummy tuck. These were patietns that had a very large and hanging abdominal pannus. I suspect that besides removing the heavy abdominal pannus, the tightening of the abdominal muscles helps to strengthen the core, and thus also help with the back pain.

S. Sean Younai, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.beautifulself.com

Back pain and Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck Plastic Surgery.

An abdominoplasty procedure is performed to address the abdominal muscle wall and the lower abdominal pannus. It does not specifically change the abdominal muscles, rather, the procedure tightens the laxity of the rectus fascia. Since the procedure does not address the back, per se, it is difficult to predict the response of the back to the abdominoplasty. If you have back pain, you should discuss the postoperative recovery so as not to worsen the back pain during this critical period... more

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Not clear

Back pain can come from many causes and while there are clear clinical studies regarding back pain from large breasts, I am unaware of clinical studies demonstrating back pain improvement from correction of diastasis during abominoplasty. That being said, it does tend to make some sense providing that pulling those muscles into a more anatomic position likely improves their mechanical advantage. This concept must be balanced with the fact that "plicating" the rectus muscles... more

Steven H. Williams, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Can tummy tuck relieve back pain

An preliminary report published in 1990 suggested that Wide Abdominal Rectus Plication (aka the WARP abdominoplasty technique) produced some back pain relief in 24/25 patients treated. However, this has not been substantiated and should not be the primary reason you seek abdominoplasty . If i can explain. Your spine depends on a delicate balance between your stomach muscles and back muscles. When your stomach muscles are weak you may have an abnormal posture which creates excessive back... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

A tummy tuck could possibly alleviate back pain

There is some evidence to support the claim that an abdominoplasty will help with back pain. Clearly, if you have an anatomic problem with your spine or back, an abdominoplasty will not help with that type of pain. You should see a spine specialist in that case. If your back pain seems to be mostly postural, then there may be some benefit to an abdominoplasty. As part of an abdominoplasty, your surgeon may reposition muscles of your abdominal wall. The muscles that give you a six pack,... more

Edward S. Lee, MD
Englewood Plastic Surgeon

No clear evidence exists.

I agree with everything Dr. Williams said in his comments. It seems to make sense that by tightening the anterior abdomenal wall that the entire core structures, which includes the back, should be in better balance.

Robert M. Freund, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

No guarantee of improved back pain after a tummy tuck

Repairing a diastasis recti will not likely improve back pain. Strengthening your core muscle may help.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Back aches could improve or worsen after tummy tuck

Hello, Right after surgery they could worsen as the tendency is for the patient to walk "bent over" for a month or so. Afterward this should improve. Relative to your "before surgery" back pain, it is difficult to predict where you might end up. The variability in patients after surgery with back pain beforehand is pretty wide.

John P. Di Saia, MD
Orange Plastic Surgeon

May or may not improve

If a lot of your backache problems were due to poor posture, then it is likely to improve after the abdomen core muscles are tightened. If the backache is due to other reasons, then it would be very unlikely to improve.

Sirish Maddali, MD
Portland Plastic Surgeon

Backaches following tummy tuck or abdominoplasty are not uncommon.

Backaches following tummy tuck or abdominoplasty are not uncommon. It may start from the patient lying flat in one position on the operating room table for 4-5 hours. Postoperatively, additional aggravating factors stem from the unusual position the patient is required to comply to. If considerable tightening of the abdominal wall muscles were performed and/or a lot is excessive abdominal skin was excised, then this requires the patient to walk in an uncomfortable flexed, stooped position... more

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD
Englewood Plastic Surgeon

It definitely is possible.

Glory, It is definitely possible that your back aches will improve after abdominoplasty. In addition to tightening your core muscles, you will likely have better posture and balance following surgery which all would help reduce back aches. David Shafer, MD