Tummy Tuck Procedure Offers Smoother Contour and May Even Improve Low Back Pain

Posted on March 6, 2023

Most women decide to have tummy tuck to regain the figure they lost after pregnancy or significant weight loss. While tummy tuck, formally known as abdominoplasty, can flatten the stomach, the procedure offers benefits beyond the aesthetic. Aqua Plastic Surgery’s double board-certified plastic surgeons, Drs. David Rankin and Dev Vibhakar, discuss the advantages of tummy tuck and how the procedure may even improve low back pain or urinary incontinence.

Tummy Tuck

During tummy tuck, the surgeon tightens and repairs the underlying abdominal muscle structure to create a flat, smooth profile. It turns out that this cosmetic surgery may have a functional benefit for patients.

Many women opt for mommy makeover that includes tummy tuck. This involves additional procedures depending on a woman’s choices, such as breast augmentation, breast reduction or Brazilian butt lift.

Back Pain Reduction

Low back pain after labor and delivery is a common side effect for many mothers. This is often due to diastasis recti, the separation of the abdominal muscles. This condition affects core strength and places a burden on the back. Tummy tuck corrects diastasis recti. It may also improve posture.

In an Australian study, 214 women undergoing tummy tuck completed questionnaires both before the procedure and several months later. In the pre-operative questionnaire, 51% of women reported “moderate to severe” disability from back pain. Six months later, just 9% reported such pain.

In addition to enjoying their newly contoured figures, these women were living without the back pain that formerly plagued them.

Improved Bladder Control

After childbirth, it’s not unusual for women to experience urinary incontinence. Sometimes, women expel urine involuntarily while laughing or sneezing. Other women may need to wear protective pads to deal with urine leakage.

In that same study, 42.5% of women completing the pre-operative questionnaire reported that urinary incontinence was a “significant” concern. The results six months later were even better than those reported by women dealing with back pain. Just 2% of the women noted that urinary incontinence was still a concern.

If urinary incontinence is causing embarrassment and affecting your quality of life, tummy tuck may well resolve this issue. Reattachment of separated muscles reduces or eliminates urinary incontinence.

For More Information

If you would like more information about tummy tuck, and which procedures complement this surgery, please contact Aqua Plastic Surgery today. Call our Jupiter office at (561) 776-2830, our Ft. Lauderdale office at (954) 564-3832 or our West Palm Beach office at (561) 202-6615.