Archive for the ‘December 2011’ Category
Keeping Your Back Healthy During The Holidays
Saturday, November 19th, 2011
Back pain during the holiday season is a common problem. You’re stressed out. Shopping at the mall in heels has taken its toll. The airplane ride has permanently “hunched” you over. How can your back make it to January in one piece?
Take 5 minutes to stretch your hips on a daily basis. 95% of low back pain patients have tight hip muscles including the hamstrings, piriformis and hip flexors. Don’t bounce into the stretch and make sure you breath as you feel your muscles lengthen.
Keep your weight in check. Eating one extra cookie today won’t effect your low back, but eating an extra cookie every day until Christmas might put on a couple of extra pounds. Extra abdominal fat increases the pressure on your lumbar discs.
Holiday shopping is an athletic event — pick the right shoes. Wearing running shoes when walking for long periods of time on hard mall floors helps decrease the shock to your knees, hips and spine. Flats, heels and boots are common low back pain culprits.
Dr. Erin Ducat is a Board-Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician in Bloomingdale, IL and an expert in helping you move well for a lifetime.