Tag: christmas shopping

Don’t Let Christmas Shopping Online Be A Pain In The Back

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christmas shopping advice from our southend chiropractorWith the clocks turning back, the nights closing in and the shops starting to line their shelves with Christmas goods, your attention may be turning to your Christmas preparations. For many this starts with getting the Christmas shopping underway. More and more people are turning to the convenience of shopping online these days.

Shopping online can protect our backs from some of the rigours of going to the shops, however, spending time online on your PC or laptop, especially if you are not maintaining a good posture, can have a detrimental effect on your back.  A poor seated posture can causes many stresses and strains and slouching compresses the joints in the spine, discs are squashed and incorrect muscles are engaged.

Our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic in Southend want to share their top pieces of advice for keeping your back safe when Christmas shopping online.

  1. Avoid sitting/slouching on the sofa: As we mentioned slouching is not good for your back in general and adding hunching over your laptop or tablet on your sofa only adds to the stresses and strains on your back and neck. If you are going to spend hours online Christmas shopping then set yourself up at your desk or table.
  2. Maintain a good seated posture: Make sure your desk and seat are set up to help you maintain a good posture. Arif, one of our chiropractors has written an article and made a video to help you maintain a good seated posture. You can access the article and video by clicking this link here.
  3. Take regular breaks: Sitting for prolonged periods is not good for your back so make sure you take regular breaks at least every 30 minutes. Stand up and move around and why not take the opportunity to do some simple stretches.

Online shopping this Christmas doesn’t need to be a pain in the back if you follow our chiropractors’ advice.

Happy online shopping.

Take the Pain Out of Christmas Shopping

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back care advice from our Southend chiropractorIt’s Chritmasss!

Well, not just yet, but those are the kind of song lyrics that you will hear bellowing through the shops from about now. There’s no doubt the festive period is on its way and that means it’s time to start the Christmas shopping!

While most shops do their best to make Christmas shopping  magical by displaying perfectly decorated trees and twinkling fairy lights, the reality is that for most people, it’s still a stressful chore! And if you suffer from back pain, it can be incredibly testing.

Our Southend chiropractor recommends that you stagger your shopping trips over the course of a few days or weeks to reduce the stress and strain on your spine. You should also try to find a parking space that’s close to the shopping centres or arrange a lift if you can. We also advise that you evenly distribute your shopping load across both sides of your body. Distributing the weight evenly will help to reduce pressure in one specific area of your spine.

Other important tips to remember include:

  • Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated
  • Lifting and bending at the knees
  • Using a trolley instead of a basket
  • Avoiding long queues
  • Asking for help with any heavy or awkward items
  • Carrying heavy loads to close to the body

When online shopping:

  • Take regular breaks away from your laptop or computer
  • Keep focused on maintaining good posture
  • Sit at a comfortable desk or work station instead of slouching on the sofa
  • Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
  • Get up, stretch and move around regularly
  • Sit in an appropriate chair that offers lumbar support

Back injuries as a result of Christmas shopping are common, but they can easily be avoided by following the simple advice in this article. Plan ahead, take your time and don’t be among the shoppers our chiropractors treat this season. Even something seemingly insignificant such as a muscle strain can lead to long term back problems.

Last Minute Christmas Shopping Can Be a Jolly Old Pain!

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back care advice from our Southend chiropractor Did you know that back problems become more common over the festive season? According to our Southend chiropractor, people push all of their physical and emotional boundaries within a range of intensive behaviours at Christmastime. And last minute Christmas shopping is one of the most frequent culprits for back pain.

At some point or another, most of us have been guilty of leaving our gift buying until the very last minute. Even though every time we do it, we vow never to do it again, another year passes and we find ourselves on yet another Christmas Eve hurtling through the aisles quicker than Santa shoots down our chimneys. Then, when we’ve finally managed to tick off our shopping lists, we trek for what seems like 170 miles back to our cars with half of Toys R Us in tow! And finally to top off an already back-busting trip, we spend our journey home on standstill; gridlocked between the masses of other regretful people who have also left their shopping until the last minute.

It’s little wonder why our backs are prone to injuries at Christmastime!

Fortunately, our Southend chiropractor has some great tips to avoid straining your back while Christmas shopping:

  • Balance the weight of shopping bags evenly in each hand or use a shopping trolley.
  • When standing in long queues queues, shift your weight from foot to foot.
  • Walk with your stomach in and hips tucked slightly under. Use natural strides, allowing each foot to roll from heel to toe in a smooth motion.
  • Where sensible, wear flat shoes that provide ample support.
  • Don’t leave your Christmas shopping until the last minute! Make several small trips rather than one major over-loaded shopping spree.
  • Ask a shop assistant for help with any heavy or awkward items.
  • It can be difficult to find a parking space at Christmastime, so arrange for someone to drop you off or pick you up.
  • Allow yourself time to take frequent rest breaks.
  • Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
  • Do your gift wrapping sitting down at a table rather than standing and bending over it or kneeling on the floor.
  • Keep an eye out for any icy or slippery surfaces.

Stay organised, stay healthy and have a fantastic Christmas!

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