Sit, Stand & Socialize: Joint Care Tips for Summer Events

Summer brings a lot of opportunity for fun social time with friends and family.  Activities like barbeques, picnics, weddings and patio dinners can be very enjoyable but may also make your joints ache just thinking about them!  Neck, back and knee joint pain are common issues that seniors experience when try to attend these social events.  Luckily, by employing a few smart strategies, seniors can enjoy summer gatherings more comfortably and confidently.

Choose seating wisely

Your sitting position can provoke lower back pain, this is especially true when your spine is pushed into a slouched position.  For seniors, this forward bent position can aggravate joints in the lower back that are stiff due to conditions like osteoarthritis.

Soft chairs (like collapsible camping chairs) encourage a slouched posture as they sag under the weight of your body.  Picnic tables and bleachers that lack back support can also be tiring for the postural muscles and eventually cause a similar slouched position.

Solution:
Seek out firm, supportive chairs that allow you to sit with your back against the back support while still having your feet on the floor.  Consider popping a small towel, cushion or lumbar roll behind your lower back to support the natural inward curve of your lower back. Avoid long periods of sitting.  Try to get up for a movement break every 15-20 minutes to reduce sustained stresses on the lower back joints while sitting and socializing.

Stand smarter, not longer

Many summer social events include long periods of standing.  This standing may be on firm surfaces like patio stones, uneven surfaces like grassy lawns or unsteady surfaces like a boat deck.  All of these scenarios commonly cause discomfort in the lower back and knees if you are trying to stand for more than 15-20 minutes.  My clients are often surprised that they can walk for periods of time much longer than they are comfortable just standing still.  This Is typically because an activity like walking gives some momentary stress relief for the joints in the knees and back as each leg is lifted to move forward.  When standing still, the pressure through the joints is sustained and can be harder to tolerate.

Solution:
One easy way to reduce stress in the knees and lower back when standing is to gently shift weight side to side between the feet, taking care not to lock out the knees.  This shifting gives a little pressure release to the joints being unloaded and keeping the knees “soft” (not locked) allows you to use the strength of your leg muscles to support the knee joints.  Wearing supportive shoes can optimize the position of your foot and ankle which can improve stability and reduce knee strain.  Taking short sitting breaks often (every 10-15 minutes) before the joints start to be uncomfortable can make a big difference in how you feel by the time the event is over!

Be mindful while mingling

Holding food and drinks can be surprisingly tiring for the muscles in your neck and shoulders as they work to hold your arms up against the weight of gravity.  Having conversations with friends and family that are taller than you, shorter than you or positioned to one side or the other, can also be quite stressful on the muscles and joints of your neck as you have to hold it in a sustained looking down, looking up or rotated position.

Solution:
When it comes to managing food and drink while at social events, try to seek out tables or other surfaces where you can rest your plate and glass instead of holding them up for long periods.  When having conversations longer than a minute or two, try to position yourself so that the person you’re talking to is straight in front of you, at eye level.  Gently shifting your body to pivot towards someone to your side, instead of holding your neck in a sustained rotated position can be surprisingly relieving.

Relax, listen to your body and have fun!

Joint pain doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying social activities in the summer.  Employing these simple strategies can go a long way in keeping you comfortable.

When in doubt, just remember “motion is lotion” for our joints.  Our bodies tend not to like sustained positions.  When in doubt, change position or go for a stroll through the crowd at the event and you’ll likely be able to get some joint pain relief and get back to the fun!