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How to Look After Your Back This Christmas (and Avoid Feeling Like Scrooge!)

Christmas is nearly here! It's a time for mince pies, tinsel, and questionable family games. But in all the festive chaos, your back might be silently crying out for a bit of TLC. From wrapping presents hunched over the coffee table to getting the turkey out of the oven, it’s all too easy to forget about looking after yourself this time of year. Here’s how to keep your back in fine form this Christmas - so you don't end up pulling a muscle when pulling your cracker!



Wrapping Presents like a Pro

We’ve all done it - sat on the floor with sellotape stuck to everything except the paper, awkwardly bending over to wrap Auntie Sue’s scented candle. It’s a recipe for backache.

  • Tip: Set up your wrapping station at a proper table where you can stand or sit comfortably. Use a supportive chair if you’re sitting, and take breaks (it’s practically Christmas law for a wrapping break with a glass of Baileys).


Decking the Halls Without Straining Your Spine

Whether you’re wrestling with a 6-foot tree or climbing up to hang fairy lights, decorating the house can take its toll.

  • Tip: Use a step ladder (not a dodgy kitchen stool!) and keep your decorations within a reasonable height. When lifting the tree or heavy boxes, bend at the knees and let your legs do the work - not your back. Remember when putting the lights up outside, it’s not that funny to fall flat on your backside in the frost.


Festive Games

Whether it’s a high-stakes game of charades or trying to flip the table during Monopoly (yes, it happens), Christmas games can get you moving in ways your back might not appreciate.

  • Tip: Do a few stretches beforehand. Nobody wants to pull a muscle trying to mime a reindeer. If you’ve overdone it, opt for referee duty instead of joining round two. It might also be worth modifying some games to suit everyone - less limbo, more trivia!


Keeping Warm in the Winter Chill

Cold weather has a knack for stiffening joints, and your back is no exception.

  • Tip: Layer up, especially when popping out for a winter walk. A scarf is your best friend. A hot water bottle or a heated blanket can also work wonders. Bonus points if paired with a mulled wine or hot chocolate.



Kitchen Chaos

Christmas dinner prep is a minefield - lifting heavy roasting tins, bending over to check the spuds, and standing for hours at the hob.

  • Tip: Chop your veg sitting down, and share the load with whoever’s brave enough to enter the kitchen. When lifting heavy dishes, bend at the knees and brace your core.


Keep it moving!

After a mammoth meal, it’s tempting to flop on the sofa for a festive film marathon (or a nap), but long spells of inactivity can leave your back feeling stiff and sore.

  • Tip: Balance your sofa time with some gentle movement. A winter walk, a kitchen disco to Slade, or even a bit of post-dinner tidying can help.


Treat Your Back This Christmas

Christmas is all about giving, so why not give yourself the gift of self-care? If your back’s feeling a bit worse for wear after all the festivities, a chiropractic check-up could help straighten things out. Start the new year feeling like the best version of yourself (and not just because you’re thinking of doing Dry January...).



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