Many women have had tummy tucks after having their children, to flatten the stomach and improve their appearance. Men and women have had this done after a significant loss of weight as well. What is abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck? According to Mayo Clinic’s website, a tummy tuck—also known as abdominoplasty—is a cosmetic surgical procedure to improve the shape and appearance of the abdomen. Excess skin and fat are removed from the abdomen during a tummy tuck. Connective tissue in the abdomen (fascia) is usually tightened with sutures. The remaining skin is then repositioned to create a more toned look. There is also a mini tummy tuck which is a less intense procedure, done on less severe cases. The procedure may have a dark side months or years later as it unnaturally pulls the abdominal musculature and fascia downward to flatten the look of the stomach. Abdominoplasty is performed as follows according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Anesthesia through either IV or general. The incision across the abdomen below the belly button usually just above the pubic bone. The abdominal skin is then pulled down like a window shade and the belly button is repositioned The incision is closed and most people fully recover within 6 weeks. Chronic pain in the lower and upper back pain from a Tummy Tuck; Are doctors understating the risk? A tummy tuck is a surgery and structuring the abdominal fascia may cause lower back and neck pain for some patients. A recent Google search suggests back pain from the surgery is a rare occurrence or is it? Over the past 20 years, more is understood about active scars from abdominal surgeries and many papers have been published, some of which are presented at the Fascia Research Congress which meets every two years. You can read about Active scars here. They are most commonly secondary to C-sections and hernia repairs but can be found with many different types of abdominal surgeries. An active scar is a scar that, affects how we move and function, as the incision on the surface may look small from a bikini cut from a c section but underneath the scar, there may be additional scarring attaching to musculature, organs, and even the diaphragm. While doctors over the years have begun to avoid cutting into the abdomen for common procedures such as a hysterectomy and are doing gall bladder surgeries with arthroscopic tools, many patients with back or neck complaints for years are being shown that their scar may be a primary or secondary cause for their problems. Tummy tucks are often performed over these scars. If the primary scar is already problematic without the doctor or patient knowing this, the tummy tuck may worsen the problem. The tummy tuck itself by pulling the abdomen flat in an unnatural way affects gait, leg extension, and posture overall. Worse, many of our patients were never told that there is something called an active scar and doctors rarely check for them. A few years ago I wrote a white paper on the subject and presented it to local pediatricians which described a quick screening procedure to be performed at the 6th week post surgery. It is my opinion from experience that if you can diagnose an active scar that is forming at that time, using myofascial release, you can resolve the problem and prevent years of future suffering. As someone who specializes in working on active scars, none of the 9 doctors chose to do anything to inform their patients or refer them. The white paper was well-referenced. Seeing a chiropractor trained in myofascial release is your best first choice to determine if your Tummy Tuck is responsible for your pain; here’s why. During our initial consultation with a patient, I always ask about abdominal surgeries while taking a patient history. Many patients who had never been warned about active scars learn about how their scar affects their movement and overall physical function. They learn, during our physical exam when screening for active scars how the scar affects their back, neck, shoulders, hips, knees, and even their feet. They can feel how the scar affects the different parts of their body as they stand or walk when it is shown to them during the evaluation. Often, c-section scars are covered by a tummy tuck which can add multiple restrictions, and pull the pelvis forward unnaturally limiting how they can extend their back while they stand and walk. The more asymmetrical the active scar, the more likely the scar results in pain as we walk, sit, and bend. Over time, people adapt to these active scars however, few healthcare practitioners offer helpful guidance to their patients since they have little understanding or training on how to screen their patients after the surgery for these restrictions. This results in multiple specialist appointments, protocoled therapies to the symptom, rather than the problem, and diagnostic testing when the patient fails to improve. There is a better way. A chiropractor trained in myofascial release and taking a primary care approach can quickly identify restrictions in how you move and function and then treat the area to improve movement while decreasing your pain. Patients in pain require a generalist approach to the musculoskeletal system, which is primary care-based. A chiropractic sports physician such as myself also has a working knowledge of the feet, knees, shoulders, and back and we can connect the dots to fully understand why you hurt. Then we treat the cause using myofascial release treatment, manipulation, and exercises to retrain the area. We keep it simple, and cost-effective while you get relief. Need help now? Book online today.