A Spine Friendly Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! In a blink of an eye, we have reached December. As this year comes to an end our days become filled with the kind of excitement that only the festive season can bring.

We understand that the year-end comes with its own stressors. Already this Ballito chiropractic practice has seen many burnout related complaints and injuries which is to be expected with the challenges most have had to face this year. We also understand that your lives don’t really become calmer over this period, which is why we have provided a few tips to get you through it!

1) RELAX: Carve out some time for yourself. Back pain in December is often stress-related. We put ourselves under so much pressure to create the perfect Christmas and it can really take its toll. Take time to just be present with your family, practice some breathing techniques and enjoy the hobbies you might have left untouched since last year.

2) SHOP SENSIBLY:

• Walk at a consistent pace and take breaks: sudden movements or even dawdling in a poor posture may aggravate back pain. Remember to take seated breaks to prevent uneven weight shifting that aggravates pelvic pain.

• Make a list and check it twice: Lets only go through this once! Make sure to plan your trip and route to prevent extra millage at the shops which pushes your body too far.

• Revisit your car while shopping: while physically possible, there is no need to carry multiple heavy shopping bags around. Offload at your vehicle when possible.

• Distribute the bags evenly: carry the same amount of weight in each hand. Misbalance will put stress in your spine.

3) BEND THOSE KNEES: Make sure to not bend, twist and lift at the same time unless visiting the chiropractor is on your immediate wish list.

4) WRAP SENSIBLY: set up your workstation at a desk or dining table; not on the floor. It may not sound like a hazardous task but its best to avoid unnecessary stretching and hunching.

5) EXERCISE: Burn off all those excess calories and keep your joints moving. But also, don’t be so hard on yourself. Remember, its not what you do all the time, but what you do most of the time that counts.

6) FIX ALL CURRENT INJURIES: Don’t go into the festive season with aches and pains. We much rather you have uninterrupted time with your friends and family than an emergency visit to the chiropractor (we will have appointments available just in case).

We wish all our patients the most amazing Christmas and New Year. Thank you to everyone for all your support in Dr Kate Dinkelmann Chiropractic’s first year. We look forward to treating you in 2023!