Christmas is quickly approaching and that means you probably have a lot of gifts to wrap! Unfortunately, sitting or standing for long periods of time can wreak havoc on your posture. And it will quickly lead to back, neck, muscle and arm pain or strain. Use these easy tips to avoid back pain, and minimize the strain on your back and spine. Maybe with these tips, we can keep the bah hum-bug out of the holiday season!
When you get ready to start wrapping gifts, consider these easy tips:
Don’t sit on the floor.
Yup, it’s your first inclination. Sit on the floor with all the gifts and paper. Instead, try sitting at the dining room table to ease the strain on your back and sit in a chair with back support. This can help to minimize the strain on your back, neck and arms.
Set up a proper gift wrapping area.
Sitting on the bed looks easy, but it can be brutal to your back especially if you sit at an angle for long periods of time. Instead, find a table that you can clear off and lay out the supplies you need. Include your tape, scissors, tissue paper and wrapping paper. If you prefer to stand, wear supportive shoes to support your spine. Stand evenly on a memory foam mat, if you have one.
Wrap and go.
Instead of trying to wrap all of your gifts at once, break up the wrapping sessions and try wrapping your presents periodically or whenever you shop to help minimize the strain on your neck, back and arms. This can minimize fatigue and ensure you’re not straining your muscles.
Make gift wrapping easy with gift bags.
This helps to minimize all the cutting and stretching that you have to do as you maneuver rolls of wrapping paper. A festive bag and decorative ribbon takes no time at all and it also takes all the fuss out of trying to get the paper cut evenly!
Stretch
Gift wrapping can be a workout, so be sure to stretch before and after gift wrapping. No one wants tight or strained muscles and simple stretching can reduce stiffness and spasms. Simple stretches like toe-touches and arm raises can help to loosen tight muscles. An added benefit is to drink a glass of water as you wrap gifts and pace yourself by stretching gently after each gift that’s wrapped.
Go See Your Chiropractor
At Tompkins Family Chiropracic, we’ve seen all kinds of holiday-related injuries over the years. Most common are back pain from lifting trees, moving furniture and stiffness even from wrapping presents and sitting for long periods. Nothing takes the joy out of the holiday season like strained muscles, aches and pain. The more you pace yourself and use a proper posture, the easier it is on your spine, joints, muscles and ligaments. Sitting hunched over on the floor to try to wrap 25 presents at once can quickly lead to joint stiffness and that’s one present you don’t want this year!
Vary your position, use proper posture, and if you experience any kind of muscle strain, stiffness, or pain, let us know! We have office hours conveniently scheduled around the holiday season and we can schedule you for a consultation and exam right away. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season from Tompkins Chiropractic. To set up your consultation, Click the Button Below
