My daughter is moving back home temporarily, and I need to clear out the old storage bins in our attic. My knees and lower back have been a nightmare lately, especially with the damp weather we’ve been having. I’ve tried to approach this using a specific framework to keep myself safe.
First, I’ve adjusted my environment by bringing a sturdy stool upstairs so I don’t have to bend over constantly. Second, I’ve established a strict routine: I only work for twenty minutes at a time, followed by a mandatory heating pad session. Third, I’m tracking my pain levels in a small notebook to see if the stairs are making things worse.
Even with these precautions, I woke up this morning feeling incredibly stiff. There are still twelve heavy tubs of holiday decorations and old books that need to be moved down a narrow flight of stairs. My husband is busy with work, and I hate to bother him. Would you push through or wait for help?
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Wait for help. It simply isn’t worth a week in bed or a trip to the chiropractor.
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Those narrow stairs are a recipe for a fall when you’re already feeling stiff. Please be careful!
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I tried this exact thing last summer and ended up in physical therapy for two months. Hire a local teenager for twenty bucks to do the heavy lifting while you supervise from the stool.
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Your framework sounds very smart, but if your body is already signaling ‘stiff’ this morning, it’s telling you to rest. Listen to it.
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Wait for your husband or daughter. You only have one back!
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Have you thought about using a small pulley system or just sliding them? Actually, scratch that. Just wait for help. The stairs are the dangerous part.
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The fact that you are already tracking your pain is great. If the number is higher today than yesterday, that is your data-driven answer to stay on the couch.
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Morning stiffness is usually a sign of inflammation. Pushing through today might cause a flare-up that lasts all week.
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If you absolutely must do something, just organize the contents while sitting on your stool. Leave the actual moving of the bins for when someone else is there to carry them down.
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Why can’t your daughter help when she arrives? It’s her stuff making the space necessary, right?
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I agree with PacingPat. Make it a family project this weekend.
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I find that if I ‘push through’ the stiffness, I pay for it double the next day. Your 20-minute routine is good, but maybe today should be a zero-minute routine.
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Books are deceptively heavy! They are the absolute worst for lower back issues. Please wait.
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Hope you decided to rest today. Let us know how you’re feeling tomorrow!
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