NYC Living Can Be a Pain!
Is living in New York City contributing to your pain?
Back and joint pain can plague anyone, but living in New York City can bring added challenges for personal pain management.
The City Environment: New Yorkers are constantly on the move, often in unforgiving environments. From being tossed around on a standing-room-only train, bouncing on hard subway or bus seats, or sliding around in the back of a cab, just getting to your destination can put daily stress on joints.
Not to mention the concrete. Walking and standing for long periods of time on concrete sidewalks can give new meaning to the “mean streets” of New York. People who walk (or rush) to work also are susceptible to slips, falls, collisions (with people and vehicles) and injury to knees, ankles, and hips as they need to duck, dodge, and maneuver to avoid collisions.
Fashion: Speaking of walking, while savvy New Yorkers may don sneakers to rush around town, switching into more fashionable shoes once reaching their destination, countless men and women can be seen on the streets of NY, every day, suffering in sky-high stilettos and stiff oxford and brogues. High heels and shoes without give change the way that you carry yourself, contributing to misalignment of knees, hips, and the lower back, all of which can cause chronic pain and inflammation.
Lack of Physical Activity: Despite being a largely “walking City” that offers a plethora of parks, bike paths, and gyms, many New Yorkers lead a relatively sedentary life. Lack of regular exercise can contribute to back and joint pain. A recent New York governmental survey showed that only 42% of adult New Yorkers met the minimum physical fitness guidelines.
More Extreme Physical Activity: On the other side of the coin, New Yorkers who do prioritize physical activity are susceptible to unique injuries. Running on concrete and asphalt can lead to compression injuries and running and biking in pedestrian and traffic heavy areas can lead to collision injuries. In the city that never sleeps, many New Yorkers work out at night. This can lead to disruptions in sleep patterns and inflammation inducing internal temperature disruptions both which can contribute to injury and pain.
Stress levels: High-stress environments can contribute to muscle tension, which can lead to back pain. New York City has both a competitive work environment and a fast-paced lifestyle leading to higher stress levels than exist in many other places. Additionally, many New Yorkers don’t have traditional stress relieving hobbies. Gardening, hiking in nature, and crafts top the list of American’s favorite past times. But many who live in the city don’t have the ability to garden, don’t spend time outside, and don’t have the space to pursue arts and crafts.
So what can you do to minimize the pain of NYCity living?
Strengthen your core muscles. Simple exercises designed to strengthen core muscles are an easy and effective way to help guard your lower back. This will help you stabilize yourself on public transportation and strengthen your lower back for long periods of sitting.
Select proper shoes. Shoes with good support and a lot of cushioning are important to minimize the impact of walking and standing on concrete surfaces. Save your stilettos or stiff brogues for the office or social event, for commuting, think comfort and support.
Get some exercise. Whether you start going to the gym, learn a new sport, or just start walking around the block, getting more exercise helps by strengthening the muscles that support the spine. This in-turn helps improve circulation and relieve pressure from spinal discs and joints.
Destress. Whether you pick up a hobby, pick up meditation or yoga, or just schedule some down time to watch TV or read a book, finding time to destress and allow your mind and body to relax and heal after the stress of the day is an important part of wellness.
If you are in pain, don’t wait to seek help. 80% of Americans experience spinal pain, particularly lower back pain. But often, those in pain try to just “live with it” in hopes that the pain will go away. Unfortunately, spinal pain left untreated can grow into a much more serious medical situation as discs deteriorate and nerves become trapped between enflamed joints. Additionally, people can end up doing more damage, while trying to sit or stand in a position that avoids pain.
Living in New York City can be an amazing experience, but in order to continue to enjoy the City, taking care of yourself is key. Adopt a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, maintain good posture, and managing stress, all of these elements contribute to overall back health and a reduction in pain.
If you have questions about injury, pain or treatment and lifestyle changes that can improve your spinal health, please contact me for a confidential consultation.