16 ways to fix your house so you never hurt again

 

By Leah Hennen
WebMD Feature from "Prevention" Magazine

 

Here's a stat to make chills go down your spine: You have a 50-50 chance of being sidelined by back pain within a year. Lack of exercise and excess weight contribute to the problem, but experts say the wrong household setup worsens your odds.

 

"Back pain can be chronic unless you adjust your environment and lifestyle," explains Jeffrey Katz, MD, co-director of Boston's Brigham and Women's Spine Center.

 

Here, the most common pain-causing culprits in your house, and the quick, wallet-friendly fixes--as well as long-term investments--that will help you stay ache free.

 

The Culprit

A poorly placed TP holder

If reaching the toilet paper roll from the porcelain throne requires contortions, you're not doing your spine any favors. (Can you think of a more mortifying moment to throw out your back?)

 

Cheap fix: Gather supplies ahead of time
Your toilet paper holder is far from the seat? Unspool some tissue before you sit down. If you forget, reach gingerly--spine straight and abs tight.

 

Money well spent: A freestanding holder
If there's no good place on the wall, a freestanding holder--available at home stores and bath showrooms--is a simple and attractive alternative.

 

The Culprit

 

Harmful housework

Cleaning high windows or tub corners can be murder on your back. "Bending, reaching, and twisting all at once is the worst thing you can do," says Ann Brinkley, DC, a holistic chiropractor in San Francisco; it can actually herniate a disk.

 

Cheap fix: Think of chores as a sport
"Spend a few minutes warming up beforehand to protect against injury," suggests Gerald Silverman, DC, a chiropractor in New York City.

 

Cheap fix: Use proper form to lift heavy objects, bend at the knees rather than at the waist. Push furniture with your entire body; don't pull with just your back and arms. And when vacuuming, step forward and back instead of using your upper body to move the machine.

 

Money well spent: Gadgets that take the strain off. Work in a more relaxed position with extra long handles, telescoping arms, or handle extenders for mops, window squeegees, and the like, available at home improvement stores. Pick up some furniture sliders (small padded disks that slip under large pieces) when the urge to reposition the sofa strikes; they make moving large objects a breeze. Hiring a cleaning person--even once a month--can also cut down on back strain.

 

The Culprit

Pillow preference

A pillow (or stack of pillows) that's too high or too flat leaves your neck at an awkward angle.

 

Cheap fix: Strategic pillow placement. The aim is to keep your ear, shoulder, and hip in a straight line, no matter what position you're in. If you're a back sleeper, tuck an extra pillow under your knees and a smaller one under your lower back. Side sleepers, wedge a flat pillow between your knees; stomach snoozers, under your hips. And when you read in bed, sit up straight with pillows behind your back, under your knees, and on your lap to bring your book closer to your face and prevent neck strain, suggests Brinkley.

 

Money well spent: A custom sleep aid. If a few weeks of pillow shuffling doesn't help, consider a cervical pillow ($20 and up; medical supply stores) or one made of memory foam; both are specially contoured to support the neck. Throwing an arm and a leg over an extra long body pillow ($30 and up; bedding stores) can also help keep the spine in line.

 

The Culprit

Unforgiving floors

Surfaces with no give--like ceramic tile or hardwood flooring--can make each step stressful for your lower back.

 

Cheap fix: Cushion yourself. Position thick, nonskid rugs or rubber mats where you frequently stand, like in front of the sink, stove, washer, and dryer. This absorbs shock and reduces stress, says Silverman.

 

Cheap fix: Get a leg up. When standing in place for a while--washing dishes, for example--rest one foot on a low stool or the shelf under the sink. Switch legs every 5 minutes. It'll take the strain off your lower back and help relax tense muscles.

 

Money well spent: Install softer surfaces
Think about replacing troublesome materials with carpet, cork, linoleum, or "floating" floors (laminate or wood laid over a soft foam pad).

 

The Culprit

A slouchy sofa

Soft, fluffy furniture may seem relaxing, but sofas and chairs without back support encourage slouching--which many studies show can triple the pressure on the disks in your spine, says Katz.

 

Cheap fix: Use props. Tuck a throw pillow, lumbar roll, or even a rolled-up towel behind the small of your back to help you sit up straight. Rest feet on a small footstool, and keep your chin up, rather than tucked against your chest, while you lounge.

 

Money well spent: Back-friendly furniture
Look for models that encourage good posture: feet on the floor, thighs parallel to the ground, head centered over shoulders, and back supported. Shopping for a recliner? Make sure its back is snug against your lower spine and cradles your shoulders and neck, says Katz.

 

Sleep Deeply Tonight: A Good Mattress
We spend a third of our lives in bed. But a mattress that's too soft or firm won't support your spine properly. Here's how to fix--or upgrade yours so you prevent pain and sleep better every night:

• Firm up a squishy bed. For quick relief, slide a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood (at home improvement stores) between the mattress and box spring.
• Buy for durability. Choose a coil count of at least 400 for a queen mattress, 480 for a king (models without springs can vary widely, so research them carefully). Make sure the retailer has an exchange policy, too: You won't know for several nights whether you've found the right one.

The Culprit

Logging hours on a laptop

 

Sure, you can surf the Web from bed and draft PowerPoint presentations on the couchbut you'll pay for it. "I want to throw laptops right out the window," Brinkley grouses. They force you to tuck in your neck, hunch over, and type with arms akimbo, which can lead to back and neck strain and repetitive stress injuries, she explains.

 

Cheap fix: A laptop tray. When you must do your computing at the kitchen table or in front of the tube, a portable laptop desk (hard-top lap cushions, available at office supply stores) will raise the computer slightly, improving ergonomics and comfort. Better yet, reserve your laptop for on-the-road use, and stick with a desktop model at home. A handy tip for using your laptop on the plane: fold up the airplane blanket and put it under your laptop to raise it up.

 

Money well spent: An at-home workstation
If you use your laptop a lot at home, re-jigger it for comfort: Elevate its screen to eye level, which will help keep your back and neck straight.

 

Make sure to have the screen about an arm's length away from your head, and tilt the screen for the best possible visibility to lesson eye strain.

Then plug in a full-sized keyboard and mouse (or hook up wireless models) to use on a surface where you can keep wrists straight and elbows bent at a comfortable 90-degree angle.

 

Make sure your home office includes a chair that has good lumbar support, but most importantly, sit all the way back in the chair so that your lower back touches it completely. Then make sure to bring the chair as close as possible to your desk so that you can comfortably reach your keyboard and mouse.

 

And then consider the most back-friendly computing solution of all: Save the work for the office, and get moving instead.

 

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