The run up to Christmas
- Shopping – Minimise the weight you are carrying around. Split into two bags with an equal weight in both hands. Minimise the time you are carrying the load for.
- Internet shopping? Then take the opportunity to correctly set up the computer and chair, maintain a good posture and take frequent breaks.
- Internet food shopping - get the bottles and other heavy items delivered to your door.
- Christmas card writing and present wrapping – use a table so you are sat in a good posture rather than sitting at a coffee table or on the floor in front of the TV. This way you put less strain on your spine.
Preparing the feast
- Preparing veg – think about your posture whilst bent over the sink or worktop. Change your position regularly; consider using a second washing up bowl in the sink turned up side down to raise the height of the washing up bowl you are working in, or perhaps peel the veg onto a piece of kitchen roll on the worktop instead.
- Lifting the turkey - removing it from the oven will be heavy – plan how you are going to do it before starting, minimise the distance, possibly break the move down into stages – for instance slide the turkey out of the oven onto a stool, then lift it onto the hob.
- Loading the dishwasher – lowering the heavy pans onto the lower rack of the dishwasher puts a strain on your spine. Bend your knees rather than your back.
The after dinner slump
- Prolonged sitting in a poor position increases the pressure on the discs and ligaments of the spine and increases the risk of back pain. Go out for a walk instead, and enjoy the added benefit that this will also aid the digestion – ready for the next onslaught at tea time!
Games
- Physios are increasingly treating repetitive strain injuries that can be stirred up in part from the prolonged use of gaming consoles. Enjoy your new toy, but take frequent breaks – a family competition taking it in turns to see who can get the highest score is better than one person sitting for hours slouched in a poor position and making a repetitive thumb movements.
- New style consoles such as the wii do require movement and activity, but if this is unfamiliar activity done for a prolonged period of time it can still cause pain – again take frequent breaks or at least change from one game to another to change the movement needed.
The New Years Resolution
- Exercise evidence shows that by increasing your activity levels, you'll decrease your chances of getting back pain
- Pick an activity you think you will enjoy and put yourself some plans in place to increase your chances of keeping at it: set some realistic goals- perhaps enter a race or event in late spring to give you something to aim for; use peer support, persuade a friend or relative to get active with you, join a local club, or try out some of the on line support mechanisms such as the times online health club
- Smoking - there is a huge link between smoking and the degeneration of the discs in the lumbar spine – so yet another good reason to kick the habit.
If you want to know more about how to self manage your injuries, take a read of our articles
