skip to Main Content

Gift wrapping 101

It’s officially the holiday season in Kansas City! There are trees to be decorated, presents to be wrapped, and Christmas treats to eat! While the holiday season is full of fun, wrapping presents with poor posture can be a pain! Here are some helpful holiday tips to keep you feeling your best this season.

Gift Wrapping 101

Year after year, I get patients with complaints of upper back pain from wrapping gifts. Gift wrapping can be frustrating enough with those dang scissors and tape that always go missing! Here are some helpful tips for a pain free holiday.

  1. Sit at a table or stand at a counter

Sitting at a table with a supportive chair will help you to use your arms instead of your back. If you stand at a counter, make sure to stagger your stance or keep a wide base of support with your feet. Wear comfortable and supportive shoes while wrapping and take breaks!

  1. Take a break

Consider taking breaks between wrapping sessions. Set a number of gifts to wrap and then perform 3 of our upper back stretches.

  1. Use gift bags or pre-made gift boxes

There’s no shame in gift bags or gift boxes! They’re reusable and there is less waste. While tissue paper is often recyclable, most wrapping paper is not!

  1. Don’t wait until last minute

Wrap gifts throughout the month of December instead of on Christmas Eve! You don’t want to have back pain on Christmas morning — so consider wrapping in small spurts throughout the month of December if possible.

  1. Try these stretches!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

— Shelby Powell, PT, DPT

Back To Top