The gift wrapping season is upon us and while most of us think of it as just a pesky chore, you could be putting yourself at serious risk of back and neck pain if you overdo it with the wrapping this year. Our Newcastle chiropractor has a few things for you to keep in mind to make sure the presents still get wrapped in time while minimising your risk of back, neck or shoulder pain.
First of all, make sure you are prepared! Gather all your presents, wrapping paper, ribbon, tape and scissors so you aren’t running around looking for materials. Then, find a suitable place to wrap, such as at a table that comes to your waist level to ensure you don’t have to bend over a lot. While wrapping ensure your wrists are straight and that your elbows are close to your body to eliminate the need to reach. Your neck should also be straight, so that you are not leaning over. And of course, if you have a lot of gifts to wrap, take regular breaks, get up and walk around.
Nothing is worth the risk of back pain, especially at Christmas time.