Crackling Fires, Cracking Backs
By Krista Elliott
Autumn is busy queueing up, and is giving summer a not-so-subtle shove out of the way. With the crisper mornings and cooler nights, our thoughts invariably turn to building fires in our furnaces, wood stoves, or fireplaces. There's something so cozy and comforting about wood heat, especially when you get to watch the fire as it crackles merrily away.
To have a wood fire, though, you need wood. And while wood has its advantages (spilling your wheelbarrow of wood is a little easier to clean up than a residential oil spill), it has one fairly major disadvantage: It's pretty labor-intensive.
Maybe you're a self-sufficient lumberjack, cutting down your own wood every year. Or, maybe you have your wood delivered, but split it yourself. At the very least, you're still looking at piling it. First you have to pile the new stuff outside so that it'll dry, and then you take the stuff from last year, toss it in the basement and pile it up in there.
Tired yet? Yeah, so am I. But, pay attention, because this next part is important.
The real danger comes to your back when you're stacking your wood. Why? Because the odds are very high that you're not using proper lifting techniques. Instead, you probably stack wood like most people: You bend over (usually while twisting), grab a chunk from the tossed-in pile, pick it up, carry it over to the stack, and heave it on.
Bending, twisting, lifting, throwing ... all at the same time, while carrying heavy objects. If that's not a recipe for spinal injuries, I don't know what is.
It's one thing to be a bit tired and sore after stacking wood. But if you have sharp or sudden pain, the odds are good that you've injured your back.
Help Your Back with Chiropractic
If you do injure your back while getting your winter wood ready, the professionals at The Joint Chiropractic can help. Careful and customized adjustments not only help to relieve your acute back pain, but can also hasten healing, whether you're dealing with a pulled muscle or a painful herniated disc. And if you don't have a sore back? Preventative chiropractic care can help make sure that your joints and spine are in the best alignment possible, treating any small subluxations before they cause problems. The result? A body that works more efficiently, helping with your balance and your range of motion, all of which help prevent the kind of devastating back injuries that can sideline you for weeks or more.
So contact The Joint today and let them get your spine in shape so that you can relax by the roaring fire, pain-free.