Shopping Without Dropping

Shopping during the holidays can be an all day event and exhausting overall. Wearing
comfortable shoes when shopping, preferably walking or running shoes, can help
increase your comfort and prevent ankle and foot pain that can result from wearing high
heels – especially on hard surfaces, such as the floors in shopping malls.

If shopping for a lot of gifts and/or for a long period of time, be sure to lighten the load
with frequent trips to the car to drop off purchases. This will provide some additional
exercise and relieve the stress on your back muscles. Also, consider using a shopping
cart or getting help to carry packages to your car.

You can ease the physical and mental stress of shopping by planning ahead, creating a
list of your intended purchases, and avoiding prime shopping times to decrease wait
times that can increase or exceed standing/walking time tolerances.

Here are some tips on the proper and safe way to balance your holiday shopping:

• Distribute the weight of shopping bags equally on both sides of your body.
• Consider carrying a small backpack rather than a heavy purse.
• Distribute the weight of shopping bags equally on both sides of your body.
• Consider carrying a small backpack rather than a heavy purse.

Before You Lift

Here are some tips on how to safely lift heavy holiday packages:

• Test an object’s weight before attempting to lift heavy packages or luggage. Try
  pushing it with your foot. If it seems too heavy then take smaller loads, which are
  less likely to strain your back and are easier on arm and shoulder muscles.
• Keep the load close to your body when lifting.
• Ask for help or use an assistive device to lift heavy objects.
• Seek help from a physical therapist if your back pain lasts more than a few days or
  gets worse.

Our staff at Superior Rehabilitation provides physical therapy services for all orthopedic and sports injuries, including those involving necks and backs. To schedule an appointment, contact us, or give us a call at (504) 887-7463. I wish all of you a safe and pain-free Holiday season!