A Back Pain Sufferer’s Holiday Wish List – Part 2

In our last post, we shared 5 gift ideas for family and friends who suffer from back pain. Here we list 5 more ideas for gifting – or for treating yourself!

1. Sitting in an office chair, or any static posture for that matter, can add large amounts of pressure to back muscles and spinal discs.  An ergonomic chair allows the elbows to rest comfortably without pulling on the shoulders, minimizing stress on back.

2. It is hard to imagine that typing, which is usually a benign activity, can cause so much pain.  However, lowering your wrist while typing can cause painful carpal tunnel syndrome. As a preventive measure, wrist guards should be used.  Computer wrist guards allow the elbows to rest at 90 degrees, preventing you from having to reach out for the keyboard.

3. The benefits of cardiovascular exercises are undisputed.  However, if you suffer from back pain, vigorous exercise such as running, may not be an option.   But there are a number of other options available. Purchase a treadmill or stationary bike to use in the home.

4.  Bad Back?  Purchase a yoga mat and block and give this gentle exercise a try. Yoga has been shown to relieve back pain.  Anyone can use yoga to increase flexibility and strengthen muscles.

5. Massage therapy shouldn’t just be a splurge; not only can it be relaxing, but it can also provide substantial relief from back pain by increasing blood flow.  This increase in blood flow restores nutrients to the damaged area and releases endorphins. So give a massage gift certificate to a loved one, or give yourself this therapeutic treat.