Holiday Prep: Protecting Your Back While Cooking, Carrying and Cleaning

The holiday season is one of the most common times of year for back strain, because cooking, carrying, cleaning and decorating put the spine through hours of repetitive, awkward work in a short window. The good news: most of that strain is preventable with a little planning, and the strategies are simple.

In the kitchen, the biggest culprit is hunching over a low counter. Raise your cutting board or prep surface so you are not bending at the waist for long stretches, and take a step back to check your posture every so often. When you lift a heavy turkey, roaster or casserole dish, bend at the knees, keep the load close to your body, and get help with anything that feels too heavy. Twisting while carrying a hot dish is how many holiday backs get thrown out.

For carrying and cleaning, split heavy loads into two trips instead of one, and carry bags evenly on both sides when you can. When vacuuming or mopping, move your feet instead of twisting your spine, and switch hands regularly. For decorating, use a sturdy step stool or ladder rather than reaching overhead on tiptoe, and take breaks every 30 to 45 minutes instead of powering through the whole to-do list in one go.

If your back does complain, gentle movement and a short walk often help more than staying still, and heat can ease stiffness. If the discomfort lingers, keeps returning, or travels down a leg, that is worth having evaluated rather than pushing through the season.

Chiropractic care may help some patients by keeping the spine moving well through the busy season, but it is not a substitute for pacing yourself. Dr. Gregory Martin has practiced chiropractic since 1996 and sees patients at Gregory Martin Chiropractic at 283 Sparta Avenue in Sparta and at Speedwell Family Chiropractic at 520 Speedwell Avenue in Morris Plains. If your back is already talking before the holidays arrive, an evaluation now beats dealing with it mid-season. Call or text (973) 699-4100 to schedule.