Could partial muscle plication cause back pain / spinal imbalance? 7 months post tummy tuck.

Dear mango88,
tummy tuck and muscle plication should have no effect on your back pain and spinal imbalance. I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what went wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Partial muscle plication during a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) typically involves tightening the abdominal muscles. While it’s possible that changes in abdominal muscles could affect posture and potentially lead to back pain or spinal imbalance, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare provider or a plastic surgeon who can evaluate your specific situation and symptoms. They can provide a more accurate assessment and recommend appropriate steps for addressing any concerns you may have.

It is unlikely that your muscle plication is causing back pain. With muscle plication, core strength is improved and many do report improvement in back pain. I suspect you have another issue causing back pain. It might be as simple as sleeping on an improper mattress.

A tummy tuck would not cause spinal imbalance or long term back pain. Some patients experience temporary back pain during early recovery when they are not able to stand fully erect. Once they are able to do so the back pain resolves.

Your surgeon is the first person you should reach out to since he or she is responsible for your well-being and outcome after surgery.
Lots of people have a variety of different sensations including pain, tightness, limitations with range of motion and a variety of issues after a major operation like a full tummy tuck.
For most people they eventually get used to their new body and symptoms settle down but some have continued issues that may or may not be related directly to the surgical procedure.
There’s no shown direct correlation one way or the other. Like you describe some people claim back pain gets better and some people claim it gets worse but there’s never been shown a correlation or direct cause-and-effect relationship between the two.
Partial muscle play Quetion of the lower abdomen only puts people at risk for bulging of the upper abdomen and when done it’s usually done conservatively.
If done aggressively the upper abdomen will almost always bulge as a response to overtightening of the lower abdomen only.
For that reason it’s probably safe to say that your muscle tightening is probably less likely to be related to your lower back pain.
I recommend you discuss with your plastic surgeon and see a pain specialist if your pain is ongoing.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Hi and welcome to our forum!
For the first few weeks after abdominoplasty, patients are often instructed to walk "bent forward" to prevent tension upon the abdominal suture line. This puts added strain on the back, often resulting in the development of back pain. This usually abates spontaneously with resumption of normal activity, but an occasional patient requires a course of physical therapy to alleviate this discomfort.
I doubt a spinal imbalance as the procedure only restores normal anatomy.
Best wishes...