Have A Happy, Healthy Holiday! 

‘Tis the season to adhere to holiday recovery and a healthy exercise regime! While this time of year can be joyous with family and friends, dinner invites and holiday parties can add stress to both your schedule and your belt line!  The last thing we want here at Pro Staff is for your physical therapy sessions to add more stress to your holiday season. So here are a few tips to help you have a happy, healthy holiday season!

To keep going at a steady pace with your holiday recovery, we recommend a few tips and tricks to keep stress levels down, and proactive measures high. 

Keep Comfortable

During holiday shopping for your loved ones, make sure to wear comfortable shoes! A long day of shopping with heavy bags can cause strain in both your hands and legs. It’s important to try to shop during non-peak hours. Keep the weight from the bags evenly distributed to keep your posture balanced. Or better yet, shop online!

Cushion your Kitchen

If you are the one cooking the meal or baking the dessert, odds are you will be standing in the kitchen for quite some time. Invest in a padded surface like a rug or mat to take care of your body. Standing for a prolonged period of time on hard surfaces can lead to back pain and fatigue. Give yourself reminders to check in on your posture to ensure you are not hunched over and causing back aches for yourself later on. Additionally, consider keeping a soft chair near your work station. Sitting while you prepare food can give your feet and lower joints a much needed break. Finally, if you do choose to get a soft mat or rug, be conscious of its corners – the last thing you’ll want is to trip on a rug while preparing a large meal, requiring consultation.

Gift Wrapping and Packing

Everyone loves receiving large gifts! However, we don’t all love having to pick them up. Before lifting or carrying packages, test the weight by first pushing it with your foot. When loading the car back up with all of your goodies, remember, two or even three trips is OKAY! Don’t try to be a hero by moving all the packages at once. Reminder: lift with your legs, not your back. 

Keep Moving

The holiday season means lots of traveling. Don’t forget to stretch and move around during trips. Try to schedule in breaks to get out of the car and stretch, and if you’re flying, get up and move around when the fasten seat belt is off. You want to get the blood flowing to avoid an increased risk for blood clots any stiffness while traveling and once you get to your location. 

Exercise is Key

The holiday schedule can get intense. Colder weather and shorter days can also dissuade you from heading to the gym and instead go home to a nice cup of hot chocolate. However, exercise is still a very important aspect in everyone’s daily lives. Keep up with exercises by allocating specific times in your calendar to working out or heading to physical therapy. When it’s written down and scheduled out, you will be less likely to skip these appointments. 

Make sure your physical therapy appointments are scheduled with enough time in advance so you can plan around holiday shopping and other stressful events during this time of the year. We want this time to be relaxing for you and a chance to take an hour for yourself, because you deserve it. 

Takeaway

The holidays can be a stressful time, especially during recovery. With an advanced schedule, and a few proactive measures, your physical health can be the least of your worries through your holiday recovery. Remember to take some time for yourself, and if you haven’t yet, schedule an appointment today!

Pro Staff Institute, LLC, has a network of outpatient physical rehabilitation centers in New Jersey. Pro Staff was founded in 2010 by Frank Pavlisko and Michael Maffucci. Through Frank’s 25 plus years experience in Physical Therapy and Michael’s experience in Management Services, our goal is to exceed customer expectations by providing the highest quality of service in a fun, family, friendly, and encouraging environment.