Connection Between BMI and Migraines, Study Finds

by Ryan Halvorson

Making News:

Do you have clients who suffer from migraines? A recent study claims to link high body mass index (BMI) with the painful condition. The researchers measured BMI in 22,211 people, who were asked whether they suffered from migraines or severe headaches. According to the findings, those respondents who were aged 20–55 and had larger waistlines were more likely to develop migraines. Women had a greater likelihood of experiencing the condition compared with men. The information was presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle this past spring. “These results, while still in the early stages, suggest that losing weight in the stomach area may be beneficial for younger people who experience migraine and especially so for women,” stated study author B. Lee Peterlin, DO.

You don’t have to be overweight to experience migraines, says Anthony Carey, MS, owner of Function First in San Diego. It is
important for fitness professionals to understand how to work with any people who do get them. Here are some suggestions, courtesy of Carey, to help prepare you for working with one of these clients:

Gather as much information as possible during the initial assessment. Learn what the migraine triggers are. If your client is sensitive to bright lights, be sure to offer sessions in a dimly lit space.
If the client arrives with a migraine, avoid exercises that add tension to the neck
and shoulders.
Make sure that you and your client are aware that the migraines may impede progress.
Develop significant understanding of the function of the thoracic spine, shoulder girdle and other related areas. Excess area tension may contribute to migraine development.
Know that the client may need to cancel
at the last minute. Some migraines are
so severe that driving can be dangerous.