In the clinic I have a 6kg kettlebell, which I use when teaching people to lift weights. Many who have never used weights for exercise balk at the weight until I remind them that its only the same as the Christmas turkey which they’ll be putting in the oven.
In December we have people come to “get their back ready for Christmas”, others with an increase in back and neck pain and many of these have something in common.
One of the big factors around this time of year is the added stresses of cost, expectation, family time. Then there is the dragging of decorations from the loft, Christmas trees across the carpet without ruining either, reaching to place the fairy on the top of the tree….or should that be a star?
A couple of years ago there was a wonderful television advert which featured a sad looking elderly gentleman appearing to dread Christmas. He then searched his garage, found an old kettlebell and much to the amusement and concern of his family and neighbours proceeded to lift the weight, run and generally get fitter progressing to heavier weights as December passed. The magical denouement was when he lifted his granddaughter to place his gift of a star on the top of the tree.
As with so many of situations about which I write, Christmas needs preparation rather than it being an event for which we are not ready and one in which our bodies exceed their capacity.
If someone comes for help with an injury, it is likely that they have increased their activity too much, maybe run further than usual, played more rounds of golf, cleaned more windows, gardened or cut more hedging, the common factor being too much too soon or without preparation. In others they may have done their usual activity but have recently had time away and expected to be able to pick up where they left off. They may have been unwell, poorly rested, particularly anxious, all of which can lessen their resilience and ability to manage their normal activities.
As well as trying to help the person with any immediate problems they may have with pain, helping them to build more resilience, robustness and reserve is vital. We often don’t know what is ahead of us so if we have that extra back up or tolerance, then we can cope with more of what is thrown at us.
This may of course be building specific strength, sometimes with those favourite kettlebells. It may be important to help to reduce our fight or flight reactions, bringing down the adrenaline by working with breathing, relaxation and sometimes body awareness. It can be surprising for instance how poor the proprioception, or the body’s awareness of its position in space, can be even in good athletes or sports people.
And watch for those Christmas presents. A lady I’ll never forget came to see me in mid January with neck pain and particularly nasty arm pain, known as brachalgia and similar to sciatica though emanating from the neck rather than the low back or lumbar spine. It soon became apparent that this had occurred because of a new and repetitive movement of her neck at an unusual angle. She had been given a large jigsaw for Christmas and had laid it out on the floor, watching her television as she picked and placed her pieces. My first jigsaw injury and other than providing a big table on which to do the puzzle, I’m not sure how we could have prepared for this one!
