The Impact of Breast Reduction Surgery on the Vertebral Column

Abstract

This study has shown the objective impact that breast reduction surgery has on the vertebral column. Although the symptomatic relief of breast reduction surgery on the musculoskeletal system is widely accepted, the objective assessment of this relief will be beneficial in persuading health insurance companies and those who think of this surgery as a purely aesthetic procedure.

Physical Effects of Unilateral Mastectomy on Spine Deformity

“…The improvement in body posture was shown to be related to the excessive weight over the vertebrae due to hypertrophic breasts. 5,18 In a very recent and interesting study, the effect of implant breast augmentation on the static posture in 40 healthy volunteer women without any true breast hypertrophy has indicated statistically significant reversible alterations in the spinal curve after wearing …”

Upper torso pain and musculoskeletal structure and function in women with and without large breasts: A cross sectional study

“…Although the size of this flexion torque is yet to be reported, 4 vertebral column radiographs of women with large breasts (D+ cup bra size) have revealed significantly greater thoracic kyphosis compared to women with small breasts (A cup bra size) 3 . Thoracic kyphosis has also been found to be significantly reduced post-breast reduction surgery 8,11,12 , although other researchers found no relationship between thoracic kyphosis and breast size in post-menopausal women (mean age 69 years) 5 . Unfortunately, the researchers in this study did not screen for osteoporosis, which might have masked the effects of breast size on thoracic kyphosis.…”

“…Large breasts can contribute to serious negative health consequences for women, including neck and back pain, headaches, painful bra-strap grooves in their shoulders, and disabling neural symptoms in their upper limbs [1][2][3][4][5] . These factors can also limit the ability of women with large breasts to participate in physical activity and, in chronic cases, necessitate breast reduction surgery 2,[6][7][8] . In addition to the well-documented negative consequences associated with reduced physical activity, physical inactivity due to symptoms associated with a large breast size, high BMI or musculoskeletal pain can lead to weight gain, as well as further increases in breast size because increases in BMI have been associated with increases in breast volume 9 .…”

“…One mechanism underlying the musculoskeletal symptoms associated with large breasts is thought to be increased thoracic kyphosis 1,3,4,8 . This increased forward curvature of the upper torso has been the attributed to a flexion torque on the thoracic spine created by excessive breast mass 3,4 .…”

Reduction mammoplasty and back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…With respect to why RM may potentially hold some therapeutic value in back pain, the subgroup of records that use kinematic variables as study outcomes point to a potential mechanism. They all highlight how spinal angles relating to thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and the correct alignment of the sacrum are deranged in macromastia [10,11] and improve following RM. One concept that accounts for all these variables is sagittal balance, which is defined as the overall alignment of the spine in the sagittal plane, and has been studied radiographically in healthy volunteers to establish normal parameters [12].…”