• Ndubuisi Oc Onyemaechi, Godson E Anyanwu, Emmanuel N Obikili, Okechukwu Onwuasoigwe, and Okechukwu E Nwankwo.
• Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
• Patient Prefer Adher. 2016 Jan 1; 10: 291-6.

BackgroundOverweight and obesity have been identified as independent risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. However, the association between obesity and low back pain remains controversial. Little is known about the effects of overweight and obesity on the angles of the lumbosacral spine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) on lumbosacral angles.MethodsThe effects of BMI and WHR on the lumbar lordosis angle (LLA), lumbosacral angle (LSA), sacral inclination angle (°°), and lumbosacral disc angle (LSDA) of 174 overweight and obese subjects (test group) and 126 underweight and normal-weight subjects (control group) were analyzed.ResultsThe test group had a significantly higher mean LSA, LLA, sacral inclination angle (SIA), and LSDA (P=0.001). A significant correlation was noted between BMI and LSA (P=0.001), LLA (P=0.001), SIA (P=0.001), and LSDA (P=0.03). There was also a positive relationship between WHR and LSA (P=0.012), LLA (P=0.009), SIA (P=0.02), and LSDA (P=0.01).ConclusionThere was an increase in lumbosacral angles in individuals with raised BMI and WHR. This may result in biomechanical changes in the lumbosacral spine, which increase the incidence of low back pain.

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