5 Tips to Avoid Pain When Standing

How to Avoid Pain When Standing During an Event Like a Canada Day Concert

Every summer in Ottawa is a cause for celebration. In 2017, in the nation’s capital, the celebration will be supercharged. The 150^th anniversary will be a great time, and there promises to be all kinds of events that will be fun and patriotic. For some, an event like a concert, where you stand for long periods of time, can bring up thoughts of back pain, leg pain, and foot pain. We all want to be standing for the last song of the night when Bryan Adams or maybe, Drake plays their final encore for the adoring crowd on Parliament Hill. The last thing that should get in the way of an experience like that is pain from standing for too long. Here a few tips I have picked up over my career as a chiropractor to help you get ready for an event-packed summer.

1. WORK ON YOUR CORE MUSCLE ENDURANCE

Our core musculature is involved in almost every type of task you could imagine. Our core muscles play a critical role in our ability to stand for prolonged periods of time. It has been found that people who are more prone to back pain have less core muscle endurance. Improving core muscle endurance can help prevent back pain, especially when standing on the Parliament Hill on Canada Day.

If you suffer from back pain, get in touch with our physical rehabilitation specialists.

2. IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE

Our posture can affect the mechanics of our body in many positions, especially prolonged standing. As we fatigue, our posture becomes somewhat less than optimal. This may lead to increased loading of muscles elsewhere in the body, especially the low back. An ideal posture is not as simple as just sitting up straight. Sometimes a personalized exercise and treatment program can go a long way to improving posture and limiting its effects on pain from standing.

3. MIX UP YOUR ROCKING

Most of us have a very similar strategy for managing the stresses of prolonged standing. We rock from side to side. While this is an effective strategy for short-term standing, it fatigues some of the important lateral muscles in our hip and core. When standing for prolonged periods, try shifting your weight from front to back, along with side to side. This may help to prolong your standing endurance and reduce back pain when attending some of the Ottawa 150 celebrations.

4. PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK

This tip relates back to our posture. Sometimes we can become stooped forward which can lead to our lower back muscles doing extra work and causing some lower back pain. Bringing our hands behind our back is a simple cue that brings our weight back a bit and corrects our posture. Putting your hands behind your back could ease some of the low back pain when looking at the 2017 Ottawa summer exhibits.

5. WEAR WELL-FITTING SHOE WITH SOME CUSHION

We have to find some balance between fashion and function. I love a great looking summer shoe. My personal weakness is Converse’s Chuck Taylor All-Stars. When I have to stand for long periods of time, I often opt for my well-fitting Nike running shoes or, at the very least, a dress shoe with a cushioned Orthotic. I know that you may be tempted to wear flip-flops to the fireworks for the special Ottawa 150 display. Wear well-fitting shoes, and your feet and back may thank you (with less pain) at the end of the night and for the weeks after.

By Dr. Ben Matheson, D.C. If you like our articles, sign up for our newsletter or read our other articles here.