Happy Thanksgiving from SpineUniverse
Most of us spend Thanksgiving split among three places:
- the kitchen
- the table
- the couch
We're on our feet. We're carrying heavy stuff—the turkey with stuffing, vats of mashed potatoes, etc. We're sitting for hours. We're eating for hours.
Such a great holiday...with such great potential for creating back and neck pain.
If you can get Thanksgiving right—if you can get through it with a healthy back—you’re well on your way to enjoying December.
And that’s what SpineUniverse is here to help you do. We have several tips for avoiding back pain in those three Thanksgiving hot spots: the kitchen, the table, and the couch. |
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Part 1 - The Kitchen
Cooking without Back Pain
Watch your posture and body mechanics.
Are you hunched over the cutting board? Are you putting all your weight on one leg?
You should particularly watch yourself when pulling the turkey out of the oven. Some of those turkeys are heavy, so you should apply good heavy lifting principles.
Wear good shoes.
Contrary to what Donna Reed portrayed, heels are not appropriate footwear for the kitchen, especially when you’re going to be cooking for so long. This article explains how high heels affect your spine.
It’s better to wear sensible shoes: any shoes with good arch support and a sole that grips count as sensible shoes.
More kitchen tips |
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Part 2 - The Table
Tabling Back Pain
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Eat slowly.
Don’t overeat: on Thanksgiving, most of us take in many times our daily caloric allowance. Thanksgiving is the traditional start to the holiday overeating period—and all those extra calories lead to extra weight. After the holidays, it can be difficult to lose that weight.
If you eat slowly, though, you’ll be more aware when you’re full. Trying to eat a normal-size portion of everything is too much; be content with small tastes of everything.
More table tips |
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Part 3 - The Couch
Don't Be a Couch Potato
but it's okay to eat some mashed potatoes
Go to bed.
If you’re going to nap—and face it, you probably are—go lay down in a real bed. Too many of us end up in the oddest positions when we doze on the couch, and very few people really think about the angle of their neck before drifting off in the recliner.
Then you know how it is: you wake up an hour or three later, and the first thing you do is reach up to massage your sore neck. (The second thing you do is go get another piece of pumpkin pie.)
More couch tips |
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Wallis Clinical Trial
If you have mild to moderate lumbar degenerative disc disease, you may be eligible to participate in the Wallis Clinical Trial. The Wallis device is a spinal implant designed to relieve low back pain and stabilize your spine without a fusion. Learn more details and if you qualify to participate.
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