How to Avoid Christmas Back Injuries

The Christmas season officially begins right after Thanksgiving, and for most families, that means pulling all the decorations out of storage. Hauling heavy boxes down from the attic or up from the basement can take a toll on your body, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. There is also the possibility of injury during the decorating itself, like lifting the tree at an odd angle or pulling a muscle while hanging lights. Use some of the tips below to avoid injury this Christmas.

Listen To Your Body

You know your own body better than anyone else, so you understand when a movement causes pain or when a box is just a little too heavy. Instead of having to ice an injury after it’s already happened listen to your body and ask for help when you need it.

Lift With Proper Posture

Even though it seems inconsequential in the moment, bending your spine at the hips and curving your back can lead to injury and discomfort. Bending over like that is fine if you are reaching down to pick up something light, but when you are talking about heavy boxes of decorations you may be subjecting yourself to pain later on in the day. The proper way to lift a box would be to keep your spine neutral and flex your hips and knees into a squat. You can also place one knee on the ground and use a lunge position if that is more comfortable for you.

Ask Your Friends And Family For Help

Decorating is not as enjoyable if you do it alone, so be sure to enlist the help of your family and friends to set everything up. By doing this you have the opportunity to ask for help when you are experiencing back pain and to create some fun holiday memories with those you are close to. Though it’s not always easy to ask for help, it will be worth it when you can prevent holiday back injuries.

Consider Wearing A Back Brace

Another important tool you can use during the decorating process would be a back brace. These inexpensive braces are great for supporting the abdomen, improving posture and relieving stress on the back. When your mind is on finding the perfect place for the garland and not on what position you are using to lift an object, it will be one less thing you will have to worry about.

Use The Proper Ladders

Ladders are incredibly useful for maintaining healthy posture while reaching for objects and hanging Christmas lights. When you reach for something and the ladder is too short, you may be putting yourself at risk for a neck injury, back injuries, and pulled muscles. When you are indoors, use a step ladder to reach for things instead of a chair or other piece of furniture. When you are outdoors, use an adjustable ladder that is the proper height so you can reach every area on the roof comfortably, and always have someone at the bottom of the ladder helping to support it.

Christmas should be a fun time of year for everyone, don’t ruin it for yourself by not taking proper precautions. If you do, contact us right away, we can help ease your pain and get back to your old self quickly.