As you will no doubt have seen and felt, the weather has taken a turn over the past few days with snow, ice and freezing temperatures in most parts of the country. This is a time when we see a lot of back pain and injuries so it pays to be mindful of your body as the cold weather hits.

One thing that I always recommend people to do is to wear gloves – but what’s that got to do with your back, I hear you ask!?

It sounds silly, but wearing gloves rather than having your hands in your pockets can make a big difference to your back. On a basic level, having your hands and arms free to help your balance on icy pavements cannot be overstated. This could help prevent or lessen a serious fall. However, gloves can also help HOW you walk.

Think about your normal walking stride, imagine how your legs swing through as you move along, carrying your weight forward propelling you along. Now, see what happens when you put your hands in your pockets… your stride shortens, you take smaller steps. This has an effect on your lower back and pelvis and restricts their natural rocking movement as you walk.

Add to that some ice. Icy pavements mean that you’re walking along, looking downwards, watching your step to make sure you don’t slip. You’re now slightly bent forwards in the lower back, between your shoulder blades and with your neck.

Imagine all these things happening together – not quite the normal walking pattern that you’d imagine! This can lead to lower back pain, an ache between your shoulder blades, around your neck or deep into your buttocks. Having osteopathic treatment can obviously help with the pain but, really, you want to avoid it in the first place.

So some advice:

• Wear gloves! Don’t walk with your hands in your pockets!
• Where possible, try to walk with as natural a stride pattern as possible
• Avoid looking down as you walk – plan a few steps ahead
• If another route or pavement is less icy, walk over there, even if it is a bit out of your way

Of course, if you do find yourself with lower back, mid back or neck pain, just give me a call 🙂 I’m always happy to help!