According to the Mayo Clinic, four out of five people in the United States will have at least one occurrence of back pain in their lifetime. The holidays can cause back pain in a number of ways. Travel, hanging lights, putting up a Christmas tree, playing in the snow with the kids – these are all tough on the back and can cause back pain. Here are some of the best ways to prevent back pain and how to get rid of it if it does pop up this holiday season.
How to Prevent Back Pain
Holiday back pain can easily be prevented with a few simple adjustments to everyday holiday activities.
Always bend at the knees and lift with the legs when lifting heavy presents, a freshly assembled bicycle or snow chains for the car. Knees take the shock out of the lifting when the legs are used instead of the back.
Be careful when picking up little ones, too. Remember, squat down with the legs and push up when lifting.
Use a step ladder when putting the star on-top of the tree. Stretching to reach can pull a muscle in the back.
Don’t sit for too long times at a relatives’ home or in the car. Take time to stop and stretch to relieve muscle tightness that can lead to pain. Putting a rolled up towel or lumbar pillow against the small of the back while sitting can also keep the back from hurting.
While standing in long lines at the mall, shift body weight from one foot to the other to give one side of the back a break. Even better, place one of your feet on a stair or on top of a small box to take even more pressure off of the lower back.
Treating Back Pain
Treating back pain can be simple if the back is just stressed and not injured.
Using heat can often ease pain out of the muscles. Try rubbing on some sports cream that goes from cold to hot or try a heating pad. There are some great self-adhesive strips on the market that can be applied to the back and they heat themselves.
If there is swelling involved, taking some ibuprofen may help to ease the pain and reduce inflammation of the muscle and swelling.
If the back pain doesn’t get better or is extremely painful, then a doctor should be consulted right away. Sometimes back pain can be a sign of a more serious condition such as a kidney infection.
