The Twelve Days of Holiday Injuries

A Public Service Announcement from Brigantine Physical Therapy

Ah, the holidays. A magical time of year filled with twinkling lights, warm gatherings, and a sudden, mysterious surge in musculoskeletal disasters. Here at Brigantine Physical Therapy, we don’t measure the season by calendars—we measure it by strained backs, cranky shoulders, and people sheepishly saying, “I don’t know what happened, I was just decorating.”

Let’s begin with the classic opener: putting up holiday lights. Nothing says “festive” like balancing on a ladder you last trusted in 2007 while reaching just one bulb farther. Cue the rotator cuff strain, or worse, the “I think I’m fine” ankle sprain that will absolutely not be fine tomorrow.

Next comes wrapping gifts, an activity deceptively marketed as “sitting quietly.” In reality, it’s a marathon of forward head posture, hunched shoulders, and scissors that require the grip strength of a professional rock climber. By the time you’re done, your neck is stiff, your wrist hurts, and you’ve taped yourself to the coffee table.

Then there’s shoveling snow, the holiday tradition most likely to land you on our schedule. You wake up early, fueled by coffee and optimism, and decide to “just get it done.” Twenty minutes later, your low back has filed a formal complaint. Pro tip from your friendly neighborhood physical therapists: snow is heavy, twisting is bad, their is no shame in paying the kids down the street to do it.

It's time to talk about the Elf on the Shelf. Thanks to whoever invented this little fella. Oh yeah no problem, you want the Elf to swing from the 12 foot high chandelier tonight, I'll get right on that, How about you create an ice luge in the kitchen so the Elf can go bobsledding or you can slip on it and break your hip.

Of course, we can’t forget cooking injuries. A marathon 8 hour day baking 400 cookies, that's a recipe for aching feet, backs, and hands. But please do share the spoils. Standing at the counter chopping vegetables? Hello, foot pain and low back stiffness. And let’s not overlook the emotional strain of hosting, which somehow always settles directly into your upper traps.

For those celebrating Hanukkah, lighting the menorah may look peaceful, but leaning over a low table for eight consecutive nights can quietly irritate your back and hips. Add in spinning dreidels on the floor with kids and—surprise—you’ve just performed an unplanned deep squat with poor mechanics.

And finally, the grand finale: traveling. Long car rides, cramped flights, and sleeping in beds designed by someone who hates spines. By the time you return home, your body feels like it needs a vacation from your vacation.

The good news? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to “just live with it.” At Brigantine Physical Therapy, we specialize in helping you recover from holiday heroics, whether it’s a sore shoulder from decorating, a cranky back from shoveling, or a neck that’s mad about gift-wrapping season.

So enjoy the holidays. Celebrate, decorate, and yes, even shovel. Just know that when the festivities leave you feeling less merry and more achy, we’ll be here—ready to help you feel better, move better, and survive next year’s holiday season with fewer ice packs.

Brigantine Physical Therapy

Putting you back together after the holidays

📍 Serving Brigantine, NJ and surrounding areas 

📞 609-264-5403 

🌐 www.brigpt.com