The House is a Dangerous Place for Your Back Dishes/counter: work when you stand at the counter of standard height counters it is approximately at belt level. As you stand there leaning slightly forward with your arms extended either cutting or washing there is a great stress placed on the lower spine. To improve this either put one leg up on a stool or open a cabinet and place one leg inside the ledge or better yet the next time you change out a kitchen change the height of the working surfaces to the bottom of your elbows when they are bent and shrugged up. Vacuuming: The nasty upright vacuum, how do most people use it,? They push and pull violently. Well this rotates your spine with your arm outstretched. This position exposes you lower back to an acute flareup. Ceiling work: When painting or installing above your head with your arms outstretched this arches your back causing increased pressure. Use a tall enough ladder to minimize arm raising and arching. Brushing your teeth another counter activity that often incites an episode. Lifting: The standard method of squatting is not correct because this moves your center of gravity forward away from you and you also have your arms outstretched. Better to kneel straight down to the load, one knee on the floor and one bent at 90 degrees. Bathtub cleaning: get in the tub instead of leaning over it. Laundry baskets: Stop carrying the dirty laundry in a basket down a flight of stairs. You cannot see your feet, your arms are outstretched increasing your back pressure. Put them in a bag and let it roll down the stairs. It is not as painful falling up the stairs facing them as it is facing down the stairs and falling backward or forward and downward.

Serving these areas: Bethesda, North Potomac, Potomac, Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County
& Prince George's County, Maryland

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