Tips for DIY Safety

As we\’re coming up for another bank holiday weekend, we are also about to come up for another weekend of accidents and injuries! At Pro Chiro in Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, the number of back pain injuries we see increases after a bank holiday weekend. It is estimated that there are approximately 200,000 D.I.Y accidents each year in the UK.

Although being active around the home can help your overall fitness levels it is always important to ensure you are not over stretching and possibly causing yourself injury.

DIY accidents in the home can cause accidents that can often be easily avoided.

How to prepare when doing DIY:
• Make sure you are wearing comfortable loose fitting clothes that won’t restrict your movement.
• Do some basic stretches before you start to loosen up your muscles to ensure that you don’t sprain yourself while working.
• Set yourself an achievable goal.

Make sure you take plenty of breaks to relax, stretch and keep hydrated. Vary your activity and try to spend no more than 20-30 minutes on any one thing.

Make sure you’re not twisting yourself:
• This can place excess pressure on your spine and back muscles which could lead to an injury.
• If you\’re painting a wall, keep moving the ladder rather than stretching across.

Always make sure you\’re directly facing the area in question – if you are painting the ceiling use a paint pad or roller with an extended handle and hold it at chest height.

Lifting

D.I.Y and home improvements often require a lot of heavy lifting and bending:
• Work out how much you can manage and don\’t go beyond your limit.
• If you are lifting or carrying a heavy load, make sure your legs are hip width apart and your knees are bent.
• Ensure that both your head and shoulders are directly above your waist and keep whatever you’re carrying as close to you as possible.
• Don’t lift with your arms straight out, keep your elbows bent and to your side to minimise the stress on your lower back.
• Avoid bending from the wait as this could cause a the risk of painful strains and injuries to the lower back, instead crouch down and bend from the knees.

We hope you have found these tips helpful. If you have any questions or concerns don\’t hesitate to get in contact with us.