Posture Reminders for the Grill Master

Summer is in full swing and that means beach days, swimming in the pool, and firing up the grill. You may have mastered your BBQ technique, but what about your posture? As you spend more time outside tending the grill, keep these tips in mind to help prevent back pain.

Food Prep & Posture

You may think you can’t do much damage in the time you are preparing vegetables and seasoning meat, but a few tweaks to food prep can make cooking more comfortable. During the food prep process, try to maintain proper standing posture and follow these tips:

• Keep your shoulders relaxed and in a downward position. If your shoulders are stiff, it can become a leading cause of shoulder pain

• Tuck your chin to prevent strain and stress on your neck bone, which can cause neck pain

• Keep your elbows close to the sides of your body. When you hold them out to your side, it can put unnecessary strain on your shoulders

Get to Grilling without Pain

Now that you know a few tricks to maintain proper standing posture, it’s important to be mindful of your back while grilling. Here’s how you can protect your back and prevent back pain while grilling:

Take Breaks: A few minutes for hot dogs won’t require you to rest your legs, but if you are spending a long period of time grilling, bring out a chair or stop and do some spinal stretches.

Be Careful with Heavy Lifting: You may not even think about it, but a heavy pot of boiling water filled to the brim with corn could easily hurt your back. Take care when lifting heavy pots and vessels to prevent injury and remember to lift with your legs, not with your back!

For everything we do, there’s a more ergonomic way to do it. When you spend time at the grill this summer, keep your comfort (and efficiency) in mind to minimize injury. Here at Markson Chiropractic, we want to help you make the most of your summer. To learn more posture tips or to schedule an adjustment should you be feeling some summer pains, click here to contact us.