This Christmas will feel very different from the restricted festivities experienced last year and for those of you who are travelling or opening your home to friends and family it can be a busy and stressful time of year. Although we love seeing our patients, we want to make sure you don’t end up laid up for Christmas!
Shelley Terry, our Chiropractor has put together some practical tips and suggestions to keep you in the comfort zone!
This is what Shelley has to say:
Avoid any injuries by following Shelley’s top tips! There are a few classic areas to consider in order to reduce the likelihood of a festive back strain! We love to see our patients, but we do generally see an increase at this time of year with new strains which could be avoided with a few simple steps!
- If you’re planning on putting up a tree, make sure you have help on hand to manoeuvre it into place.
- Try to place boxes of decorations on a raised surface so that it is in easy reach, to avoid constant bending down to the floor. And instead of reaching and straining to get those decorations up high, use a step or a step ladder to make it less of a stretch.
- When wrapping presents, try to wrap on a raised surface such as a table or an ironing board. The floor may be an easy option, but the sitting positions and bending involved may make you feel that little bit creaky on getting up!
- Food prep – if you have a lot to do, try to complete some of it at a table; such as peeling veg. Long periods of standing over a work surface are not ideal for backs and can end up with you feeling a bit achy.
- If you are able to visit family for an overnight stay, take your favourite pillow with you, especially if you usually suffer with an uncomfortable night’s sleep when not in your own bed. We all know that our own beds take priority, and those spare beds don’t necessary get the same supportive, comfy pillows!
- With visitors in mind make sure that if you are planning a deep clean in preparation for visitors, do it in small manageable chunks, so that you are not spending hours bent over scrubbing!
- During the festive period we usually spend a bit more time sitting, whether it be on a sofa, dining chair or armchair. Make sure you have a small cushion behind the small of your back supporting your natural lumbar curve and avoid sitting in a twisted position, crossing legs or sitting on the floor for long periods.
- Get out for regular walks. We all need a bit of movement and after all, ‘motion is lotion’!
Have a great Christmas!
