With the Civic long weekend fast approaching, experts are offering tips so campers can avoid back and joint pain. Dr. Leah Lawson, a chiropractor who operates Level Health Clinic in Parry Sound, said a number of campers come to her clinic in summer seeking pain relief. “The most common cause of back or joint pain is poor body mechanics, honestly,” Lawson said. “People are in a position that they’re not normally in. They are cooking at a lower level. They’re maybe sleeping on a harder surface. They might be lifting more than what they usually do at home. So, all of these things put a greater demand on your body -- and your spine in particular.” While it may be challenging, she said optimizing your sleep position is crucial. “It’s really important that if you are a side sleeper, I encourage you to put a pillow in between your knees,” Lawson said. “That will take some pressure off your hips. If you’re a back sleeper … you might want to try putting a pillow under your knees. That will give your legs a little bit of a prop up, take some pressure off your lower back.” Brandice Ramakko-Burke is operations manager at Ramakko’s, a sports and outdoor adventure store in Sudbury. Ramakko-Burke said it’s important to choose the right shoes for the terrain and distance to avoid slips, blisters and rolled ankles. “If you’re going on a light day hike on a groomed flat trail, you can go with a low hiker in a shoe,” she said. “Or if you need a little bit more stability, you can go into a mid-hiker, which would give more ankle stability because it comes up a little bit higher … But if you’re carrying weight or you’re going on uneven terrain, then I suggest going into a little bit more of a stiffer sole.” Ramakko-Burke added that it’s important to keep in mind that shoes with a stiffer sole take longer to break in. “We want to make sure footwear fits properly,” she said. “And that’s not just length. It’s width, as well. Making sure that if you need a wider toe box or you need a wide fit, or you need a different arch, that you choose the right shoe for you.” Choose the right backpack When it comes to choosing a backpack, selecting a proper size is important to ensure the backpack’s hip strap fits directly over the hip. “If it sits on top, or it sits too low, it will move as you’re walking and you won’t have a straight pack, and it won’t be able to carry the weight and support the weight of the pack,” Ramakko-Burke said. “When we pack weight in the pack, we generally suggest at the bottom or close to the body. So that way you’re not getting pulled backwards and you’re not leaning forward to carry it.” Lawson said the most important thing is to be mindful of body positioning and maintain a neutral spine. “If you were to take a side view of yourself, your ear and your shoulder and your hip should all be in a nice line position,” she explained. “When we’re bending over or leaning over, you still want to try and maintain that position.”
