This time of year, it’s practically tradition to get in an intense round of shopping. Stores are offering up tremendous sales, and shoppers from all around will stand in long lines to save a few extra dollars. However, no matter what’s on your list during these events, be sure to follow body-friendly routines. That means safe lifting, easy-push carts, and no diving or acrobats to reach emptying shelves – no matter how great the deal.
From staying upright to letting others push through, stick to the following:
Team Lift
Avoid picking up heavy or large objects alone. Ask a friend (or even a stranger) for help, or wait for the next employee to bring a rolling cart. Improper lifting can cause serious back or neck strain, long-term pains, and ongoing injuries. This shopping season, save your back and wait for help instead.
Can you Find it Online?
These days, practically every item found in-store can be found online. While it may not host the same deals, a few extra funds are often worth the headache of standing in line. Before getting up at a crazy hour, check the computer to see if it’s sold through the store’s website. Many stores even offer free shipping around the holidays.
Use a Cart
Even when picking up a few items, balancing and rearranging them can make your tilt and lean in odd directions. Pick up a cart to wheel your items around with ease; it’s also a great place for the purse (so long as it’s attended), which can also cause back strain if too heavy.
Don’t Fight a Crowd
With angry (or excited) shoppers, there’s really no telling what could take place. Instead of being pushed through a crowded area, opt for times where fewer shoppers will be present. Or let others head in first for a more relaxing, injury-free day of sales.
Whether standing in line for the greatest deals or just picking up a few holiday gifts, remember to follow the above for optimal back health in any shopping scenario.
With Halloween just around the corner, monsters and other Halloween-themed items are in full force. Cereals are launching spooky versions of their breakfast foods, kids are preparing their costumes, and classic movies are making their way onto the TV. And other than their ability to scare viewers with their folklore, each of these shows seems to have a main theme in common: their characters look alarmingly uncomfortable.
Whether they had a permanent crick in the neck or just needed a better mattress, we bring you our list of top five monsters that needed a spinal support upgrade.
5. Dracula
For someone who sleeps in an un-cushioned coffin each day, Dracula was surprisingly upbeat. Think how chipper he could have been with a mattress pad, or at the very least, a neck pillow to help keep his fangs in place.
4. Frankenstein’s Monster
With metal parts throughout his body, Frankenstein’s Monster likely had headaches galore. A head-shaping pillow (a large one), would have easily helped relieve pressure while he got a good night of rest. Other tall monsters, such as Lurch and Herman Munster, might have suffered from similar issues.
3. Cousin Itt
Cousin Itt, Gomez Addams’s relative, was probably one of the hottest sleepers in history. Covered in hair from head to toe, cooling pillows and mattress pads would have done wonders for his ability to rest, even in the warmest of environments. The same goes for Michael J. Fox and other werewolves.
2. Uncle Fester
Who would sleep on a bed of nails when a plush, comfortable mattress was available? It’s likely he would have opted for a back support model, had they been available back in the day.
1. Voldermort
All that flying can be hard on the spine, causing it to twist and turn in odd directions. Unless he had a great wizard bone adjuster, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could have done wonders with a pillow-top mattress. Not to mention a seat cushion for his long Death Eater meetings.
Who are your favorite monsters? What product would have helped their health?
Contour Living now offers several options for zero-gravity: Multiple models of BackSaver™ brand zero-gravity recliners and Back Max wedge cushion recliners.
The 120-degree angled position (zero gravity recliner) places the body in its most relaxed state, where the heart and nervous system have to do the least amount of work to pump blood through the body.NASA astronauts assume this stress-free position for lift-off, minimizing physical stress on their bodies.
The zero-gravity technology is credited to the scientists and doctors at NASA and was utilized in the space program to reduce the amount of compressional forces exerted on the spine by the extreme speed at which the astronauts blast into space. During take-off, astronauts recline with their feet higher than their hearts with a torso to leg angle of 126 degrees +/- 7. The reason zero-gravity is a preferred posture for astronauts is any slight amount of disc compression will be exemplified by the speed and force of take off.
Normal sitting postures can load 150 pounds of compression into the lower back, while standing can load 100 pounds of compression, and lying in a horizontal position can load 25 pounds of compression. Even a minor back or spinal disc problem can be exacerbated with 25 pounds of compression.
See our line of Zero-Gravity recliners and Wedge Cushions here
