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:
I 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.
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