By Carly Wemett
Masters of Occupational Therapy Student
Fieldwork at iSpine Clinics in Burnsville
The holiday season can be a busy time of the year. There can be numerous things on your “to do list” during this season such as decorating, cooking, wrapping presents, snow shoveling, and more, on top of your usual full plate. As this time of year can be physically demanding on your body, it is important to remember how to best take care of yourself. The team of rehabilitative therapists at iSpine Rehab Clinics put together the following tips to support your wellness this holiday season.
To manage your neck and back health while decorating for Christmas, stretch prior to lifting, prioritize proper posture, use assistive tools like a sturdy ladder, take frequent breaks, plan ahead, manage heavy items, and distribute tasks to minimize strain on your back, neck, shoulders, and hands.
Warm-up and Stretch:
It is important to warm up and stretch prior to lifting and intense movement. Perform gentle stretches for your back, neck, and shoulders before starting to loosen muscles and reduce the risk of injury. Patients of iSpine Rehab Clinics receive a “Pain Rehabilitation: Learning to be Your Own Therapist” booklet, which is a great resource for stretches to awaken your body for movement.
Kim Lund, PT at iSpine Clinics, states, “Warming up your body before activity is important for increasing blood flow to your muscles and increasing your body temperature. With increased blood flow, you will have greater mobility and less muscle tension which will allow for improved function. Warming up your body will improve your performance and decrease your chance of injury.”
Proper Lifting Technique & Posture:
When lifting heavy boxes of decorations, utilize a “power lift form” by bending your knees, keeping your back straight, and using a wide stance to engage your leg muscles instead of straining your spine. It is also important to keep the weight close to your body when carrying items which will make the load seem lighter.
Use a Stable Ladder:
When hanging up lights, always use a sturdy ladder that is properly positioned and never reach too far to hang decorations. Reaching too far on a ladder is dangerous because it significantly shifts your center of gravity, making the ladder unstable and increasing the risk of tipping over, which can lead to a serious fall.
Take Breaks:
Prolonged periods of decorating can strain your muscles and increase the risk of injury. Regularly pause your decorating to rest, take deep breaths, change positions, and stretch, especially if you experience increased symptoms. Taking breaks allows you to preserve your energy and to prevent injury. You can preserve your energy by breaking up the decorating process over multiple days.
Mark Narveson, OT at iSpine Clinics, states, “Practicing deep breathing and relaxation strategies can decrease your body’s response to increased stress. Deep breathing provides a means for relaxing your nervous system and helps to manage your overall physical and mental health throughout the busy holiday season.”
Plan Ahead:
When decorating, it can help to lay out your decorations beforehand to avoid unnecessary reaching and bending as it allows you to visually plan the placement of each item, minimizing the need to constantly move around and adjust once you start hanging or placing them; this saves you time and physical strain by optimizing your movements.
Manage Heavy Items:
Manage your heavy items by breaking down large boxes of decorations into smaller, more manageable loads. Breaking heavy loads into smaller loads when lifting is crucial to reduce the strain on your muscles, significantly decreasing the risk of injury by distributing the weight more evenly and making it easier to manage.
Alternate Tasks:
Alternating tasks can improve activity performance and prevent an increase in symptoms by providing a form of distraction, allowing your mind to focus on something else besides your symptoms. Switching between different decorating activities also prevents prolonged strain on any one muscle group, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Feel Better, Live Better.
Next time you find yourself decorating for the holidays, please keep these tips in mind! To improve your back health management, maintain good posture, avoid twisting your body while reaching, and use a back support if needed. To keep your shoulders functioning well keep your arms close to your body while decorating and avoid reaching too high. To improve hand function, take frequent breaks, gently stretch your fingers and wrists and consider using ergonomic equipment such as tools with padded handles and gloves with extra grip. Please reach out to your nearest iSpine Rehab Clinic if you have further questions about maintaining a healthy back and neck!