Are you a victim of holiday back pain?
Thanksgiving was really discouraging for Steve. After 4 hours of standing and prepping food, he couldn’t take it anymore – his back was killing him. He had to leave the kitchen to rest in the living room, and missed out on conversation and belly laughs with the rest of his family. Steve is not planning on repeating this experience come December. Don’t miss out on the best time of year because of back pain.
Whether you’re chopping veggies, rolling dough, or making candies, it’s easy to spend hours standing in one position (aka a recipe for back pain).
Back pain doesn’t just keep you from the kitchen, though. It can interrupt quality time with your loved ones during the most wonderful time of the year.
Here are some tips to avoid holiday back pain this year:
1. Take Breaks
It’s easy to get on a roll in the kitchen. Setting a timer for planned walk breaks every 30-40 minutes to take a 5-minute stroll can give your back a much-needed break and keep muscle fatigue from setting in (and the onset of your back “going out”). Just warming up your muscles and getting your joints moving will go a long ways toward keeping you pain free.
2. Change Positions
If you’re standing in front of a cupboard, open up the cupboard door and rest one foot just inside it so you’re standing a bit offset. This changes the position of your hips and low back just enough to move pressure around to different areas. Alternate which foot is up, and which is down every once in a while. If you start to feel pain in your knee it might be related, or it might be a completely different issue. Check out “Understanding Injury” for a better idea of which it might be.
3. Share Duties
No shame in asking for help! Take turns doing dishes, chopping, and putting items in the oven so that everyone is doing a few different things instead of one person repeating the same motion. Varying your tasks can not only decrease stress on your muscles and joints but can keep things fun and interesting!
Still Hurting?
Think it might be more serious? Read “Why Back Surgery Should Be Avoided” before you psych yourself out.
If you’re still struggling with back pain, give us a call today or go to our “Contact Us” page and fill out a form to get in touch. We’ll get you back on the right track so you can continue to spend time with your loved ones this holiday season.
