It is time to begin planning your Black Friday shopping trip. With the stores releasing their deals, you may have already begun making your list of must buy gifts. Remember that a long day of shopping can lead to pain throughout the body, but especially in the back. Here are a few tips to help avoid such pain:
- Wear supportive shoes
- Choose a smaller purse
- Carry your packages evenly/unload them often
Wear supportive shoes: Wearing supportive shoes is vital when heading out to shop on the biggest shopping day of the year. Keeping your attire comfy while still providing support can help prevent back pain. It is recommended that supportive shoes be broken-in and offer plenty of support to the foot. Research suggests that when the feet are properly supported there is less likelihood of back pain.
Choose a smaller purse: Research suggests that toting large heavy bags can put a strain on the back, which can lead to pain. Using a smaller purse can help you keep from lugging around a heavy bag all day long. While shopping the day after Thanksgiving, you are sure to find the deals you need to have bags galore. Many of these will be stuffed to the brim and heavy. Give yourself a break by skipping the heavy purse too.
Carry your packages evenly/unload them often: As you find success with those shopping deals, be sure to carry your gifts evenly between both arms. If possible, make a few trips back to your car and unload them safely so that you don’t have to carry too many packages at once.