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Media Releases
Ten Tips to Lighten Your Holiday Shopping Load
Columbia, Mo. (Dec. 14, 2006) For adults with arthritis, a holiday shopping spree can put tender joints under additional stress. For this Christmas shopping season, experts at the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC) have tips to save energy without missing the merriment.
-- Pace yourself. Gripping, holding and standing can lead to a lot of pain, especially when you have five shopping bags in each hand. To reduce the pain and fatigue, occupational therapist Diana Baldwin suggests a five-minute mini-rest for every half hour of shopping.
-- Stretch joints. Try some joint stretch tricks for a quick recovery - e.g. opening and closing the hands, bending and rotating the wrists and elbows, rotating the shoulders and the neck, bending the back, hips, knees, and ankles; and wiggling the toes.
-- Plan ahead of time. Make a shopping list in advance. Think about the store layout and arrange the shopping list that reflects the layout. By doing so, you can avoid unnecessary walking and searching. Plus, you're less likely to spend more than you want!
-- Avoid rush hours. If your schedule is flexible, go to the malls early in the morning, mid-day, and midweek.
-- Ask for necessary help. Bring along a friend or a family member to carry your bags if you plan on a big shopping spree. While in the store, ask the manager for a personal shopper for efficiency.
-- Book mobility shopping carts or scooters in advance at shopping malls. If they are not available, Baldwin recommends taking a folding shopping cart with you.
-- Pad shopping bag handles. Baldwin suggests you slip a piece of insulation foam or a couple of foam hair curlers around the shopping bag handles. Insulation foam is available at major hardware stores and comes in several diameters. Pick the size that fits your hand when making a circle.
-- Know when to delegate. You don't have to be in the store for every item you buy. If it's a book, write down the title and let your friend make the trip. For electronics, find out the model online and send someone else to the store. Get friends to buy wrapping materials as well so you can focus on the few items that you can decide only when you are in the store.
-- Unload shopping bags. Some malls have package check-in service. Find out if it's available before you start shopping. If not, make a quick trip to your car once your shopping loads get heavy.
-- Avoid the holiday shopping crowds altogether by purchasing online or from catalog. You'll have more of your precious energy left to spend with family and friends.
Arthritis affects an estimated 70 million Americans Ð nearly one of every three people Ð according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the main cause of disability in the United States, arthritis can affect joints and surrounding tissues, leading to pain, stiffness and swelling in affected areas.
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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