At Resurgens Spine Center, we know that all that shopping can cause or aggravate back pain, so here are a few tips that may help you save your back this holiday shopping season:

Take Smaller Trips

Since you’ve got the entire month of November and most of December to shop, you may want to try taking several smaller outings to the store instead of one marathon shopping trip. This way, shopping, loading, and unloading will all be less strenuous. You’ll still get all your shopping done and allow yourself time to wrap your gifts!

Avoid Reaching for Object on High Shelves

Any time you’re reaching the limits of your range of motion, you’re opening yourself up for injuries. This means that even a small object can cause an injury if you have to reach for it. Instead of overextending yourself, seek out an employee to help you.

Distribute Weight Evenly

Instead of putting all your items in one large bag, you might try carrying two smaller bags on each side of your body. This even weight distribution will be easier on your back and will prevent you from having to lean one way or the other. Better yet, you could make use of a shopping cart whenever they’re available.

Call in Some Support

Many hands make light work; that goes for shopping too. If you’ve got a lot of shopping to do, bring a few friends with you to help carry some of the load and add some extra fun to the day.

Holiday shopping injuries are something we see every year at Resurgens Spine Center. We hope these tips help you avoid back pain as you are out looking for your holiday presents. And, as always, call us or schedule an appointment online with one of our spine physicians any time you are experiencing back pain. Happy Shopping!