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9 Tips for Lifting and Carrying Your Luggage
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March is almost here and with it comes the mass exodus of families heading off to sunny destinations.
In the excitement of packing for a vacation or family visit, it’s easy to get carried away and pack more than you need into your suitcase and carry-on.
“Over-packed luggage and improper lifting and carrying techniques are common causes of injury to the back, neck and shoulders,” says Ajax chiropractor Dr. John Noble. “The good news is that many of these injuries can be easily prevented.”
Follow these tips and help take the pain out of your next vacation:
Tips for Choosing Your Luggage
- When shopping for new luggage, look for a sturdy, light, high-quality and transportable piece. Avoid purchasing luggage that is too heavy or bulky when empty.
- Choosing a bag with wheels and a handle can go a long way to lighten your load.
- A good quality backpack with adjustable, padded shoulder straps and a waist strap makes an ideal carry-on because, when worn properly, backpacks can evenly distribute weight.
Tips for Packing Your Luggage
- Over-packing is an easy pitfall, but consider that the larger and heavier the luggage, the more susceptible a traveller is to neck, back and shoulder injuries. Try to only pack what you absolutely need.
- When possible, place items in a few smaller bags, instead of one large luggage piece.
- Ensure your carry-on luggage does not weigh more than 10 to 15 percent of your body weight.
- Keep the contents of any carry-on luggage to a minimum, pack heavy items at the bottom of the bag and make efficient use of the bag’s pockets.
How to Lift and Carry Your Luggage
Lifting your luggage can’t always be avoided, even if your luggage has wheels. But practising safe lifting techniques can substantially reduce your risk of injury.
- Move slowly and, whenever possible, break the action into smaller parts. For instance, when loading a suitcase in the trunk of a car, try lifting it first onto a chair or step stool, then lifting it into the trunk. Similarly, when placing luggage in an overhead compartment, first lift it onto the top of the seat.
- When lifting your luggage, first get close to the load and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend at the knees and let your leg muscles, rather than your back, do the lifting.
- Hold the load close to your body.
- Avoid twisting. Instead, turn your feet in the direction you are headed and turn your entire body in that direction.
- Do not carry bulky luggage for long periods of time. Make sure to check heavier items when travelling rather than carrying them for the duration of the trip.
- Try to carry light pieces in each hand rather than a single heavy item on one side.
- If using a backpack, use both shoulder straps and the waist strap, and adjust them to minimize the bag’s movement.
- If using a duffel or shoulder bag, switch sides often to reduce strain.
If you’re experiencing neck, shoulder or back pain, consider visiting the chiropractic and massage therapy team at Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage. We help our patients build better pathways to overall wellness, as well as provide relief from back pain and muscle aches. Contact our clinic today at 905-427-3202.
10 Tips for Maintaining Your Good Health in 2023
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Did you make any New Year’s resolutions at the beginning of the month? As we work our way through the often long and dreary month of January, we thought it would be a good time to review some goals for the year.
Here are our top 10 chiropractor-approved resolutions to help you stay healthy for the rest of the year:
1. Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep is important to overall health. Both body and mind rest and refresh while you sleep. If you have difficulty sleeping, consult your chiropractor for help and solutions. Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s rest.
2. Warm Up
Before jumping in the pool, hitting the field or picking up a golf club, take 20 minutes to warm up. Your warm-up should include deep-breathing exercises, gentle stretching and range of motion exercises to loosen and warm your muscles and joints.
3. Cool Down
Cooling down after a workout is just as important as warming up. Take 20 minutes for a brisk walk or slow jog and stretch out your muscles and joints before heading for the change room or the car.
4. Practice Perfect Posture
Good posture not only makes you look better, but it also delivers increased energy, better breathing, and improved circulation. Good posture is actually an investment in your appearance AND your health. The secret to good posture is maintaining the spine’s natural curves. If your spine is misaligned, it can result in strain and pain.
5. Choose a Good Office Chair
Do you sit most of the day? While sitting seems restful, staying in any one position for too long can cause strain and injury to your muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments.
A good office chair helps a lot. The right chair should:
- Adjust to suit your size or task
- Adapt to support your spine in various working positions
- Have a backrest that supports your lower back
- Have a front edge that curves downward to promote proper posture
One last tip: Vary your sitting positions throughout the days to prevent injury and strain.
6. Prevent Neck Pain
Your neck is part of your spine, which runs from the base of your skull to the bottom of your back. Neck pain is a common problem with many possible causes. Poor posture, hunching over a computer, arthritis, whiplash, and muscle strain from simple things like reading in bed or grinding your teeth can all trigger neck pain.
Keeping your back safe and strong also protects your neck. Here are some tips to help you prevent neck pain.
7. Manage your Headaches
Tension headaches are common but they are not well understood. Most people describe having a band of pressure around their head that can last from 30 minutes to a week. Tension headaches can be related to muscles tightening in the back of the neck and improper alignment of the joints of the spine.
Record when your headaches occur and what you were doing before they started. Try to recognize the factors that cause or aggravate your headaches. Be sure to tell your chiropractor if you’ve noticed any changes in your usual headaches, such as frequency, duration or intensity, or if your headaches begin to worry you.
8. Prevent Falls
Anyone can fall, but the risk of slips and trips increases as you get older. Every year, one in three Canadians over 65 will fall – often with serious consequences.
Hip, wrist and pelvic fractures are common in this age group and can take a toll on independence and quality of life. Here’s a great list of tips to help you prevent falls.
9. Nourish Yourself
Meal timing is an important factor in maintaining energy levels. Skipping meals can cause blood sugar swings, often resulting in fatigue. People often skip meals and then wonder why they are tired in the afternoon.
To manage energy levels and prevent fatigue, you should eat at least three nutritious meals each day with the last meal well before bedtime.
10. Visit Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage for year-round wellness
Working with a chiropractor and registered massage therapist will help you stay on track with your goals and pamper your spine.
The wellness team at Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage provides patients with more than just chiropractic and massage therapy services, but also the know-how to build better personal wellness habits so you can be at your best for work or play, every day.
To book an appointment or learn more about the chiropractic and therapeutic massage therapy services available at our clinic, call 905-427-3202.
With content from the Canadian Chiropractic Association
Try These Activities to Minimize Stress and Help Prevent Back Pain
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It’s no secret that staying active is a great way to help keep your body and your spine healthy. In fact, going for a brisk 10-minute walk each day is enough to help improve your health and prevent conditions of the spine, joints and supporting structures of the body.
There are also a few other recreational activities that you can incorporate into your daily routine to prevent back pain and reduce stress.
Here are a few suggestions:
Yoga and Pilates
Yoga and Pilates are forms of exercise that typically focus on moving the body while focusing on breathing and body awareness. The poses are purposeful and usually work a few areas of the body at once, including the back and leg muscles to build a stronger foundation for other movements.
Also, the poses often focus on balance which can be important to prevent falls and injuries as we age. Compared to higher impact activities that cause added strain to the body, yoga and Pilates are known to be ‘safe’ for healthy and even injured individuals. Yet, with most practices being keenly aware of your body is important and adapting movement to your skill level. However, regular practice has been shown to decrease back pain. The great thing about yoga and Pilates is that there are several types of classes catered to your specific skill and comfort level.
Aquafitness
Aquafitness is a dynamic, low-impact activity that usually involves the entire body in movement, including the abdominals, gluteal, and leg muscles. Since the movements are done in water, the water adds extra resistance to strengthen muscles but also minimizes the impact on your joints.
Aquafitness has been shown to be an effective management tool for those suffering from certain musculoskeletal injuries allowing them to keep active. Notably, people suffering from low back pain may particularly benefit from aquafitness or gently swimming in water. Contact your local community centre or gym to see if aquafitness is part of their regular programming.
Tai Chi
This Chinese martial art focuses on meditative, deep breathing combined with the methodical practice of slow movement enhancing mobility and balance among those who practice the art. Tai chi is known to have major health benefits – even for those with back pain. Tai chi can improve pain and function while decreasing the likelihood of chronic pain. It is a safe and effective activity for those experiencing long-term back pain symptoms.
Other activities you may want to consider are low-impact cardiovascular exercises such as walking or striding on the elliptical machine. There are always alternatives to staying active, even when you experience pain. Some of these can even help relieve the pain.
The wellness team at Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage encourages you to improve your overall health by making exercise a part of your daily routine. If you want to learn more about managing your health with exercise, contact our clinic today at 905-427-3202.