Many people love tackling DIY toss around the house in the evenings or on the weekend. Not only do you get to take some tasks off the ever expanding To Do List, it’s also a great way to forget the day-to-day stresses of life. That hectic day all week that you’ve had slowly fades into the background as you grab a can of paint and attack the bedroom wall. It can be surprisingly therapeutic and before you know it several hours have gone by. The wall looks great, and you hop off the ladder feeling pleased with a job well done. It’s often not until the next day that you realise there was a price to pay for your DIY enthusiasm… your back! 

Do you suffer from back pain after working on or around the house? It’s not uncommon due to the hunched or awkward positions people often assume for lengthy periods of time while creating their dream home. 

Here are a few helpful tips to make your next DIY event more comfortable: 

• Make sure you pace yourself and take regular breaks. Allow your body and spine to assume a normal upright position and walk around to get some movement through your joints. 

• Where possible kneel rather than bend. This prevents additional stress on your spine and helps the muscles in your lower back to remain relaxed. 

• Don’t sit down immediately after you have finished. Although it may be all you want to do, when you try to get up again you may be stiff and sore. Ideally go for a 10-minute walk rather than heading straight for the couch. 

• Gently stretch your major muscle groups afterwards – particularly your legs if you have been up on a letter as those muscles will have been working hard to help you maintain your balance.