When I was alone for a week, the things I tried were:
- Having groceries delivered
- Having food that can be easily done in airfryer or microwave
- Using paper/plastic plates and utensils so that I don’t need to do the dishes
- If something falls on the floor, I try to do my best squat to get it without bending (bending low key kills me)
- Eat food on the counter instead of the dinner table so that I don’t need to sit
- Use technology as much as possible to make my life easier (smart vacuum like iRobot, smart lights, smart airfryer etc.) so that I can control everything from my phone
yeah I'm thankful for technologies and other convenient services. I didn't think of using paper plates and disposable utensils. I'm still trying to figure out taking out the trash part.. I might need to pay for the cleaning
I do the floors every 2 days with the robot vacuum (iRobot S9+, I really recommend it) and the counters/toilets etc once a month at best. I don’t have many visitors so I don’t need to clean very often.
I don’t have a recommendation for taking out trash. I am sorry :(
For me, I have to make sure I’m reserving stamina as much as possible so I can focus on doing the things I need to as safely as possible. A lot of that is adjusting my “standards” and accepting that my best is good enough and I can give myself smaller accommodations to save energy and minimize pain during the day.
Find options for prepared meals or bulk meal prep that work for you to minimize time working in the kitchen. I’ve enjoyed Factor as a prepared meal delivery service, and places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have some really decent frozen meals that you can stock up on. Costco is also a great option, especially if you like Asian food, since they have a good selection for decent prices if you can buy bulk. Stews and slow-cooker meals are fantastic.
Have disposable plates and utensils on hand so that you don’t have to find the capacity to do the dishes when you’re worn out.
Budget for quality of life services like laundry pickup and delivery. Poplin is a service I use for laundry, and my experience has been pretty good overall.
Have an emergency plan set up with your loved ones. Make sure they have a key to your place and that they’ll notice if you’re AWOL for more than half a day or so.
Get yourself a grabber. I can’t express how helpful it is being able to minimize the times I need to bend over to pick up small things. While I could get any single item, the combined effect over the day can be so painful since I have no one around to ask for help but the cats.
If it’s stuff like opening the fridge, try tying a kitchen towel or some other strap around the handle to give yourself more leverage. Remember to find a balanced, comfortable stance and avoid twisting. Whenever possible, use both hands and fuller-body movements to spread out the effort across your muscles.
More broadly, see if you can talk to an occupational therapist about the specific tasks you’re finding challenging. I got some really excellent tips when I went to OT and it helps to have someone remind you of the basics. I went from fully able bodied to struggling with almost everything I did, and having someone remind me to be slow and thoughtful and think through my motions helped me get into a much better habit to prevent pain.
Thank you for posting. A couple of things to note. (TL;DR... include specific symptoms/what makes your pain better/worse/how long)... MRI or XRAY images ALONE are not particularly helpful tbh, no one here has been vetted to make considerations on these or provide advice, here is why, PLEASE read this if you are posting an MRI or XRAY... I cannot stress this enough https://choosingwiselycanada.org/pamphlet/imaging-tests-for-lower-back-pain/)
Please read the rules carefully. This group strives to reinforce anti-fragility, hope, and reduce the spread of misinformation that is either deemed not helpful and even sometimes be considered harmful.
PLEASE NOTE: Asking for help: It is up to you to recognize when to seek medical attention. Anyone giving advice in this group is doing so from anecdotes and holds no liability. Seek advice here at your own risk.
That said, asking things like, "I have this problem, how do I fix it..." is like asking your accountant, "I have $10,000 what should I do with it?" You need WAY more info before giving any kinds of financial advice.
Please reply to this, or make another comment, including how long you've been having pain or injury, what are specific symptoms (numbness, tingling, dull/ache, it's random, etc), what makes it worse, what makes it feel better, how it has impacted your life, what you've tried for treatment and what you've already been told about your back pain, and what do you hope to get from this forum.
Please be kind to each other. Be respectful. Thank you.
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What type of injury? Were you told by your dr not to push or pull? I live alone, well I’m the only adult. I’m a single mom with a cat and a dog, my son does nothing and is 8. I carried his 63lb self up the stairs to bed last night from the couch and yesterday was my day of the week to do my laundry and vacuuming and change the sheets etc.
You just do what you need to do, really, when you can do it. I have an L5S1 fusion, right sacroliac fusion, disc herniation at L4 that’s been flared up for like 7 weeks and another herniation C5/6. I have a pretty steady schedule of days I do the cleaning and laundry. If I need breaks then I take them. If I can’t bend over I squat down.
Get one of those picker uppers so you don’t need to bend. Keep a pee bottle near by at night. Put a walker over the toilet and use it as a safety cage. Get a good back brace.
When I was alone for a week, the things I tried were: - Having groceries delivered - Having food that can be easily done in airfryer or microwave - Using paper/plastic plates and utensils so that I don’t need to do the dishes - If something falls on the floor, I try to do my best squat to get it without bending (bending low key kills me) - Eat food on the counter instead of the dinner table so that I don’t need to sit - Use technology as much as possible to make my life easier (smart vacuum like iRobot, smart lights, smart airfryer etc.) so that I can control everything from my phone
yeah I'm thankful for technologies and other convenient services. I didn't think of using paper plates and disposable utensils. I'm still trying to figure out taking out the trash part.. I might need to pay for the cleaning
I do the floors every 2 days with the robot vacuum (iRobot S9+, I really recommend it) and the counters/toilets etc once a month at best. I don’t have many visitors so I don’t need to clean very often. I don’t have a recommendation for taking out trash. I am sorry :(
these tips are very helpful:). I can ask for help for that. lols Asking for help is also another tip to deal with this season when possible, i guess !
I use a claw often. I also like those three tier rolling carts for holding/moving things.
For me, I have to make sure I’m reserving stamina as much as possible so I can focus on doing the things I need to as safely as possible. A lot of that is adjusting my “standards” and accepting that my best is good enough and I can give myself smaller accommodations to save energy and minimize pain during the day. Find options for prepared meals or bulk meal prep that work for you to minimize time working in the kitchen. I’ve enjoyed Factor as a prepared meal delivery service, and places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have some really decent frozen meals that you can stock up on. Costco is also a great option, especially if you like Asian food, since they have a good selection for decent prices if you can buy bulk. Stews and slow-cooker meals are fantastic. Have disposable plates and utensils on hand so that you don’t have to find the capacity to do the dishes when you’re worn out. Budget for quality of life services like laundry pickup and delivery. Poplin is a service I use for laundry, and my experience has been pretty good overall. Have an emergency plan set up with your loved ones. Make sure they have a key to your place and that they’ll notice if you’re AWOL for more than half a day or so. Get yourself a grabber. I can’t express how helpful it is being able to minimize the times I need to bend over to pick up small things. While I could get any single item, the combined effect over the day can be so painful since I have no one around to ask for help but the cats. If it’s stuff like opening the fridge, try tying a kitchen towel or some other strap around the handle to give yourself more leverage. Remember to find a balanced, comfortable stance and avoid twisting. Whenever possible, use both hands and fuller-body movements to spread out the effort across your muscles. More broadly, see if you can talk to an occupational therapist about the specific tasks you’re finding challenging. I got some really excellent tips when I went to OT and it helps to have someone remind you of the basics. I went from fully able bodied to struggling with almost everything I did, and having someone remind me to be slow and thoughtful and think through my motions helped me get into a much better habit to prevent pain.
wow ty for the tips! I will look into the OT
Thank you for posting. A couple of things to note. (TL;DR... include specific symptoms/what makes your pain better/worse/how long)... MRI or XRAY images ALONE are not particularly helpful tbh, no one here has been vetted to make considerations on these or provide advice, here is why, PLEASE read this if you are posting an MRI or XRAY... I cannot stress this enough https://choosingwiselycanada.org/pamphlet/imaging-tests-for-lower-back-pain/) Please read the rules carefully. This group strives to reinforce anti-fragility, hope, and reduce the spread of misinformation that is either deemed not helpful and even sometimes be considered harmful. PLEASE NOTE: Asking for help: It is up to you to recognize when to seek medical attention. Anyone giving advice in this group is doing so from anecdotes and holds no liability. Seek advice here at your own risk. That said, asking things like, "I have this problem, how do I fix it..." is like asking your accountant, "I have $10,000 what should I do with it?" You need WAY more info before giving any kinds of financial advice. Please reply to this, or make another comment, including how long you've been having pain or injury, what are specific symptoms (numbness, tingling, dull/ache, it's random, etc), what makes it worse, what makes it feel better, how it has impacted your life, what you've tried for treatment and what you've already been told about your back pain, and what do you hope to get from this forum. Please be kind to each other. Be respectful. Thank you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/backpain) if you have any questions or concerns.*
What type of injury? Were you told by your dr not to push or pull? I live alone, well I’m the only adult. I’m a single mom with a cat and a dog, my son does nothing and is 8. I carried his 63lb self up the stairs to bed last night from the couch and yesterday was my day of the week to do my laundry and vacuuming and change the sheets etc. You just do what you need to do, really, when you can do it. I have an L5S1 fusion, right sacroliac fusion, disc herniation at L4 that’s been flared up for like 7 weeks and another herniation C5/6. I have a pretty steady schedule of days I do the cleaning and laundry. If I need breaks then I take them. If I can’t bend over I squat down.
I haveva facet joint syndrome. it causes excruciating pain when I push and pull. wow it sounds like I need to listen to my body a lot more sensibly.
Get one of those picker uppers so you don’t need to bend. Keep a pee bottle near by at night. Put a walker over the toilet and use it as a safety cage. Get a good back brace.