DIY related injuries and How To Avoid Them

Whether you are an experienced DIYer or have just been filling your time with tasks during lockdown we need to make sure that you avoid DIY related injuries. In my mind there are two type of DIY related injuries we need to avoid.

1. Potentially serious accidents related to the use of power tools or not being careful around electricity and gas supplies.
2. Injuries caused by overdoing it or from lifting, twisting and carrying.

In this blog I will going through ways to avoid the over doing it injuries. For advice on how to avoid the other type of DIY injuries please have a look at this website.

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How to avoid DIY related injuries.

Here are my top five tips to help you avoid injuries whilst doing your DIY.

1. Warm up first. If you are going to be doing and activity that involves lots of stretching and moving first then make sure you are warm before this start. This can just walking around the house and garden a few times and doing a few gentle arm swings and low back stretches.
2. Bend your knees and not your back. Be careful how much you lift. If you can get someone to help you then do. You will be surprised how many of my patients say ” I knew I should not have lifted it but went did it anyway”
3. Do not over reach. Whatever you are doing do not over reach. I see many people who have hurt themselves over reaching to paint the corner of the lounge instead of moving the ladder. You are less likely to hurt yourself if you are close to the area you are working on. So always move your self to when you need to be.
4. Listen to your body. Take regular breaks. This is part of not overdoing it. Quite often when we are busy trying to get a task finished whether that is DIY, crafting or gardening we ignore our bodies when they start to ache. So when we know we should be stopping we don’t because ‘there is just a little bit left to do’. Your body aching or hurting a little bit is it’s way of telling you to stop. If you don’t listen then you risk hurting yourself more.
5. Rest and Seek help. If you are in pain then stop and rest. If the pain is severe they you may need to consider contacting 111. However, it is mild but does not get any better especially after a few days or weeks then you may need to think about have it assessed by a professional.

More tips for avoiding DIY related Injuries and stretches in this video I recorded in lockdown

Low back stretches

Already over done it? Low back feeling a bit achy? Then these low back stretches could help you.

And Finally

As of the 15th June 2020 I am able to offer routine Chiropractic appointments so if you are suffering from a DIY related injury then do contact me and I will see if I am able to help you.

Over to you.

Do you have any top tips for avoiding DIY related injuries? I would love to hear them, just post them in the comments below.