HOW TO AVOID BACK PAIN IN THE KITCHEN DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON
The holiday season means a long day of standing and cooking in the kitchen, wrapping gifts and decorating. These activities can cause strain on your neck and back. Don’t let pain hold you back this year! Here are some tips to avoid that pain in the kitchen.
- Are you hunched over your cutting board? Raise your cutting board level so that you are not bending and straining your lower back. The key is to avoid bending!
- Purchase a footstool that you can raise one foot on. This will help flex your hip and reduce the compression on the nerves resulting in less discomfort
- Cooking requires standing for a long period of time so make sure to wear comfortable shoes with good arch support. Save your high heels for later…
- Purchase a rubber mat to stand on.
- Pay attention to your posture. Stand with a wide stance, keep chin tucked, support your head above your shoulders, and keep your shoulders back and down.
- You should particularly watch yourself when pulling the turkey out of the oven. Some of those turkeys are heavy, so you should apply good heavy lifting principles.
- Purchase lightweight cooking items like pots and trays to reduce the heavy lifting
- Don’t forget to take a break every 30 minutes and stretch to loosen up your shoulders, back and neck muscles.
- When it comes to washing the dishes this can also put a lot of strain on your neck and back. The correct way to do the dishes is by placing one foot on a six-inch footstool, which gets you in an upright position while washing your dishes. When you need to bend forward bend at your hips.
- Get help, do not attempt to do the entire meal yourself. You’ll end up spending entirely too much time in the kitchen on your feet. Most of us do not spend that much time standing up on a normal day, so the unexpected strain on your feet, knees, and spine may cause back pain.
- Get everyone involved in helping make the meal. It’ll be more fun, and it is easier to pass on traditional family recipes to the next generation if the next generation is actually helping knead the dough and baste the turkey.
How to Avoid Back Pain in the Kitchen During the Holiday Season | BellaNYC.com
