Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and that means the holiday tunes are on the radio and folks are decking the halls with boughs of holly. It also means it’s holiday decorating season, and hanging lights or putting up the tree can also be a recipe for back pain, but it doesn’t have to be if you’re smart about how your decorate. Below, we share for tips for avoiding spine pain while decorating your house this holiday season.

Ladder Safety

Falls from a height are one of the most common reasons people suffer a severe spine injury, and we always see and uptick in ladder-related incidents this time of year. If you’re going to hang lights or put Rudolph and Santa on the roof, make sure you have someone to stabilize the ladder, especially if the ground is frozen or icy. Also, when hanging lights, don’t lean farther than your arms can reach when you’re standing in the middle of the ladder, because leaning too far can lead to falls, and falls can lead to spine injuries.

Stretch

You’re probably not going to suffer a severe back injury while putting up decorations inside the house, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a couple minutes to stretch and warm up. Stretching can help to prevent a number of different minor back issues, like cramping, pulled muscles or spasms, so take a couple minutes before you decorate to loosen up your back.

Lift With Your Knees

If you’re bringing boxes of decorations up from the basement, make sure you are lifting with proper techniques. Bend and lift with your knees, not your spine. If you have any heavy boxes, grab a second set of hands instead of overextending yourself and potentially injuring your spine.

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day

Finally, although it can be fun to do all your holiday decorating and present wrapping at once, consider breaking it up a bit so you don’t overload your spine. Don’t expect to hang the lights, cut down a tree and wrap all the presents at once. Break up the holiday preparations so that you’re not feeling the effects of all your hard work throughout the holiday season.

Finally, if you’re dealing with back pain this season, it’s a good idea to have it looked at before the new year (especially if your max out of pocket is already met!). Don’t risk further injury while decorating or while walking on icy sidewalks because you didn’t take care of a spine issue when it was small. If you want to have someone look at your spine problem, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office to set up an appointment today.

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