Christmas is supposed to be a time of celebration and joy however we tend to see an increase in acute injuries at this time of year. We see an increase in strains and sprains and acute back injuries. WHY??? you may ask. Well I have asked myself the same question. I feel there are a couple of reasons for this spike in injuries:
- People tend to over indulge in Christmas drinks do silly things.
- Parents tend to test out their children’s Christmas Presents and forget that they are 40 years old not 10 years old.
- People are working long hours to prepare for the Christmas break.
- People are generally quite stressed in the lead up to Christmas. this can be work stress or family stress (or a combination of both).
- We tend to do more heavy lifting over this period – lifting tables, Christmas trees and esky’s full of ice and drinks.
So what can be done to prevent you becoming a victim of a Christmas Injury?? My tips are:
- If you are going to have a few Christmas drinks try not to over indulge and ensure that you drink lots of water in the process.
- Always ask for help when lifting and moving stuff around.
- Buy yourself a massage to help to relieve any stress and tension that may be building up.
- Prioritise your work and try to identify work that can be put off until the new year.
- Get out and do some exercise – get those endorphins flowing!!
- AND try to remember that Christmas is only one day.
