I am feeling a little discomfort on my lower back recently. I have gained weight. I do not feel comfortable while sleeping. I spend most of the day time in my office or in meetings. Does increase in weight have a serious effect on my back? I am a 33 yrs old man.

Weight gain will affect the lower back but so too will the long days in the office. To ease your discomfort try to do some extra activity outside of work - you could take up a new sport or just go for a walk in the evenings. If you can, try to find a good excuse to leave you desk for a couple of minutes each hour to keep yourself moving. Something as simple as walking to speak to a collegue rather than emailing them will get you up and about. You may also find it helpful to read our blog 'easy stretches to do at your desk'.

If any of these exercises cause you pain, or the problem gets worse, then it is best to stop and consult a physio, doctor or osteopath. An ostoeopath will usually offer a free assessment to see if they can help before they charge for treatment. Osteopaths look at pelvic alignment, spinal alignment and overall posture as contributing factors in muscle pain. 

In the short term, I find the Atrogel helps my neck overnight after days confined to the car or at my iPad!

Best wishes

Earle