Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the season, is upon us and with it, the added physical demands of the day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that over 50,000 people every year sustain some sort of winter-related back injury, and about 5,800 of those are holiday shopping related. MyoBuddy Products cautions discount seekers to consider back safety while shopping.

Try the following tips to save your back during the frenzied shopping season.

 Prepare for Holiday Shopping like it’s an Athletic Event

• Stay hydrated! Drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
• Be sure to stretch before and after a long day of shopping.
• When you are stressed-out, your muscles are less flexible than usual.
• Wear shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of walking on hard surfaces.
• Leave the suitcase sized purse at home. Bring a small purse, or if necessary, a light backpack instead. Pack only those items that are absolutely essential (driver’s license, credit card, etc.).
• Apply Ice. If you start to feel some pain, try the following treatment: apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

During the holiday season, we’re pushing ourselves to the limit, which can lead to stress and even depression,” says Licensed Massage Therapist and MyoBuddy Products’ CEO Jason Auer-Sears. “We need to stretch and stay hydrated to increase our capacity, so we’re not overwhelmed by the all the holiday gift shopping and extra stresses and strains the season brings.”

Plan Frequent Breaks into Your Shopping Day.

• During a day of heavy shopping, take a break every 45 minutes.
• If available, obtain a locker. Lockers can help cut down on how much you have to carry around.
• If your shopping center or mall doesn’t offer lockers, try to plan trips to your car.
• When taking breaks, try to eat light foods. A salad and are great some fruit are great snacks.
• Skip the coffee break! Coffee and sodas contain caffeine and sugar, which add even more stress to your body.

Back Safety While Wrapping Gifts.
Since there is no “ideal” position for wrapping gifts, the most important thing to remember is to vary your positions. For example, try standing at a table or counter top for one package, sitting on a bed for another, sitting in a comfortable chair for another, etc.

Don’t try to wrap packages while sitting on the floor. Wrapping packages while sitting on a hard floor can wreak havoc on your posture, and should be avoided.

Always stretch before and after you wrap gifts.

“When wrapping presents, it’s a good idea to ‘stretch the opposites,'” says Auer-Sears. “In other words, if you are leaning forward when wrapping your gifts, stretch backward when you are done.”

Massage Therapy Can Help.
Sometimes the holiday season can be more stressful than joyous. If you do experience pain or discomfort as a result of holiday shopping stress, just reach for your MyoBuddy PRO Massager! MyoBuddy’s percussive action can help ease the aches and pains and provides wellness in literally seconds!

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