Halloween should be filled with fun! Costumes, jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, goblins, haunted houses, trick-or-treaters, and endless amounts of candy all come to mind. Unfortunately, celebrating this spooky holiday and trying to take advantage of all that it has to offer can cause neck or back pain for some people. In order to decrease the chance of this happening, we’d like to share a few tips for enjoying this time of year without having your festivities end up in a real-life nightmare!
Less is more! When it comes to Halloween decorations, you may be tempted to overdo it and hang orange lights and spider webs from your ceilings and even the roof. While this sounds like fun, making the effort to get the job done can cause neck and back strain and increase your risk of injury. Instead of going this route, focus on ground level interior decorations and on your home’s exterior, concentrate only on decorating the front porch area and placing decorations in the front yard.
Minimize stress… Halloween costumes, decorating, and purchasing ample amounts of candy for trick-or-treaters all take time, effort, and planning. If you wait until the last minute, you might find yourself stuck in traffic and going store-to-store only to find a small selection of costumes and treats that have been picked over. To minimize stress and tension that can result in neck or back pain, be sure to plan ahead. Online shopping can also be a great and lower stress option!
Carefully select costumes! It looks awesome, but is it good for you? When choosing costumes for yourself and your children, be sure not to purchase something that is too heavy as this will put stress on your spine. Also, keep in mind that shoes purchased at Party Stores or in the Halloween section of big box stores generally offer little to no support for your feet – which could lead to foot and back issues.
Protect Your Spine… While festive times of the year often encourage us to do something new and adventurous, always be sure to make your spine health a top priority. While it may be tempting to carry your kids on your shoulder while trick-or-treating, doing so is not a great idea for protecting your spine. Also, if you will enjoy watching your favorite scary Halloween movies with your family, be sure not to stay in awkward positions cramped up with others on the sofa for too long. Instead, get up, walk around, grab a snack, and stretch during your movie marathons!
By planning ahead and making your spine health a top priority, you can have fun and decrease your risk of suffering from neck or back pain. For more spine health tips for prevention or managing pain, be sure to schedule a consultation with our Spine Specialists here at the Stridewell Same-Day Spine Clinic. Stridewell Tips
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