Tips to Avoid Back Pain During Shopping Marathons

Shopping marathons, during the holidays or any season of the year, can make your back scream with pain. Walking through mammoth malls for endless hours can place undue stress on the lumbar region.

Short Trips, Breaks and More

Here are some tips to avoid low-back pain while taming long shopping lists:

• Plan ahead: Instead of waiting to shop for gifts at the last minute, plan your list weeks or months in advance. Any steps you can take to avoid overall stress will ease the strain on your back.

• Shop early: Shopping early can help you avoid landing in long lines. Any effort to reduce the time you need to stand on your feet will reduce the building tension in your lumbar region.

• Make short trips: Instead of tackling the entire mall during long hours, plan short trips. If you focus on specific locations in the same area and outings limited to an hour or so, you’ll lessen the overall intensity of shopping, which your back can also pay a high price for in the end.

• Take breaks: If you absolutely need to shop for long periods, take breaks and sit down. Find a spot where you can treat yourself to a healthy snack and water to refuel. A time-out from shopping will also allow you to take a load off your feet, legs and back.

• Get wheels: If you’re juggling five shopping bags, avoid concentrated weight on one section of your back. Divide the contents and bags evenly in both hands, or place all of them in a shopping cart. If one isn’t available, go back to your car periodically to drop off heavy items.

Advanced Planning and Back-Pain Relief

With some advanced planning, you can eliminate the stress of shopping while protecting your back. If you already strained this area, call Non-Surgical Orthopaedics at 770-421-1420 for back-pain relief now.