Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and while it typically marks the beginning of the holiday season, it is also the start of a stretch of time that can be incredibly hard on your spine. However, if you’re smart about how you approach the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’re confident that you’ll be able to keep the holiday from putting too much stress on your spine. Below, we take a closer look at how you can protect your spine during the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Overeating
Thanksgiving is probably the day of the year where the most overeating is done, and that can continue through the holidays if you have a number of family get-togethers or office holiday parties. The more you weigh, the more pressure your spine has to help disperse, so it pays to mind your waistline. It may be a little bit harder to make some healthy choices during the holidays, but your spine will thank you for it.
Limit Sweets
Similarly, it’s easier to indulge on sweet treats during the holiday season. Whether you have a tray of Christmas candy on the counter or you’re bringing an apple pie to every function, we may have more access to sweets over the holidays. Sugar is pro-inflammatory in the body, meaning it could contribute to worsening symptoms if you’re dealing with spinal nerve compression caused by disc problems. Obviously excess sugar can also lead to weight gain, so limit your intake of sweets this holiday season.
Winter Sports
The holiday season is also a wonderful time to hit the ski slopes or go ice skating, but these seasonal activities can also be hard on your spine. When getting back into winter sports, you can work to protect your spine and your whole body by:
- Stretching before and after activity
- Slowly increasing your activity duration and intensity
- Wearing protective clothing and athletic equipment
- Stopping at the first sign of an injury
Winter sports can be a lot of fun, but they can also be hard on your back, so ease into activity and listen to your body as you get used to performing these seasonal activities once again.
Slip And Falls
Wet and icy weather during the holiday stretch can contribute to slip and fall injuries, and oftentimes the place we land on is our back and butt. Slip and fall injuries contribute to countless spinal and tailbone fractures each year, so be careful when conditions are bad and make sure that you have the right shoes to help keep you upright.
Ladder Work
Similarly, you’ll want to work to prevent potentially serious fall injuries if you’ll be working on a ladder during the holidays. If you still need to get up on a ladder to clean out the gutters or hang some Christmas lights, make sure you have someone to help support the ladder. Every year we see an uptick of spinal injuries related to ladder-related falls during the holiday season, so don’t become another statistic.
Travel
Finally, one way in which the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be hard on your spine is as a result of increased travel. If you’re spending hours traveling by plane, train or automobile to visit friends or family over the holidays, your spine is going to be in a static and stressful position for an extended period. Break up long seated periods by moving around the airplane or simply stretching outside the vehicle every time you stop for gas or food. Help protect your spine by avoiding long periods of being seated and sedentary this holiday season.
And if you develop new or worsening back pain, make sure you have it examined and treated by a spine specialist. For help in the greater Minneapolis and St. Paul area, contact Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
