Cleaning Your Way to Injuries

With the increasing popularity of the Konmari method of tidying up, more and more individuals are spending time decluttering their possessions. Along with the spring cleaning activities that are in preparation for the Lunar New Year celebrations also leads to an increase in something apart from cleaner houses – Musculoskeletal Injuries.

Injuries and strains tend to occur while cleaning up due to the ‘weekend warrior’ syndrome – where these activities are usually tackled all a time over the weekends. This is in contrast to the level of activity during weekdays, where most individuals are sedentary and spend most of their time at their desk-bound jobs.

Another reason why spring cleaning leads to musculoskeletal injuries is also due to the fact that we usually find ourselves in awkward unergonomic positions when doing tasks like mopping the floor or cleaning the windows. This could result in strains or injuries especially when the motion is repetitive and is done for a prolonged period of time.

Common spring cleaning injuries

Back injuries

Back injuries are common due to the repetitive nature of cleaning, where we would have to bend over or twist our bodies. For instance, our bodies would have to twist in order to reach certain parts of the window and we would usually have to bend while lifting up heavy objects. When the motion is repeated excessively, this is where the strain would occur. In order to avoid this, limit this repetitive motion and try to get help when lifting heavy objects.

Shoulder injuries

The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, allowing us the widest range of movements. This also means that the shoulders are most prone to injuries as they are the most unstable joint. Stress is placed on the shoulder joint when doing repetitive overhead activities such as cleaning ceiling fans or cleaning windows. In order to avoid shoulder injuries, pace out cleaning activities to avoid overworking the shoulder.

If you have been spring cleaning in preparation for the festive period and find yourself in pain or suffering from injuries or strains, do make an appointment to see one of our physiotherapists and seek treatment at the soonest to avoid the pain from getting worse.