Holidays don't have to be a Pain in the Neck

edited by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

According to AAA, during the week of Christmas and New Years, more than 8 million Americans will be flying. (2006)
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that more than 5,000 people sustain falls related to holiday decorating that takes place between November 1 and January 31.
70 to 85 percent of all people will experience back pain at some time in their lives (National Institute of Health)
Back pain is the most frequent cause of activity limitation in people younger than 45 years old (National Institute of Health)

How you can protect your Back

Dr. David Rothbart with Spine Team Texas offers the following tips and hints for keeping your back healthy and happy this holiday season:

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f you’re driving for long periods of time to Grandma’s house, stop every few hours to stretch and keep muscles loose.

Whether you’re flying or driving, roll up a towel or place a small pillow behind your lower back to support the lumbar spine and prevent pain.

When traveling, men should remove their wallets from back pockets while driving to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve.

On-board an aircraft, placing your feet on either a briefcase or other small bag under the seat in front of you and standing up every hour or so are good things to keep in mind.

Remember to practicing proper lifting techniques for those heavy or bulky holiday packages and suitcases.

When carrying down the decorations from the attic or the closet, remember to hold the boxes as close to your body as possible to avoid possible injury.

Kneel instead of bending to dig through those boxes of ornaments.

Avoid hunching over to wrap gifts—try wrapping gifts on an elevated surface while standing instead.

Don’t overextend your reach when trying to hang lights or decorate the tree—this can cause muscle strain in the back. Instead, get a step stool or small ladder for those jobs that are just out of reach.

When climbing the ladder to hang lights, it’s best to have someone on the ground watching your back—a person on the ground stabilizing the ladder and keeping an eye on your progress will help keep safety at the top of mind.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who hurt her back in an accident. She tried to follow tips like these to lessen the stress of travel on her back.
Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com and www.teaAtlas.com
She plans to launch a wellness site soon.