Holidays and back pain go together

Below we have brainstormed a quick list of Christmas-specific risk factors for your spine:

• The tree: everything from cutting it to setting it up and adorning it with ornaments. Trees are heavy! Take care to use proper form when lifting and moving.
• The shopping: stress leads to muscle tension; tight muscles pull your spine out of alignment.
• The lifting of young relatives: any lifting motions should be performed with care. 
• The sitting around: lack of activity is a cardinal threat to your spinal health. 
• The consumption of booze and other inflammatory ingredients

Awareness is king this holiday season

If you suffer from any form of chronic back pain, keep a running mental dialogue with yourself regarding the state of your spine. Avoid activities you know will aggravate your back pain; ask for help performing heavy duty lifting tasks; take a break if a certain repetitive task like tying ribbons is becoming too monotonous for your spine. As it stiffens and becomes sore, take immediate steps to alleviate the pain- use ice and heat, stretch and exercise in small ways. Avoid inflammatory ingredients when possible and always remember to adjust your posture when you feel yourself slumping. As a last resort, use ibuprofen to keep inflammation down. 

A Christmas visit to the chiropractor can help immensely

If your spine is feeling the stress of the holiday season, give our office in Houston a call to schedule an appointment. We use natural modalities including spinal adjustment to restore spinal alignment and improve range of motion in stiff spinal joints. We help you have a happier holiday season by ensuring that your back is in a state of balance conducive to enjoying family activities. Happy holidays Houston!