High Heels and Other Holiday Hazards

Star Expert:
Alma Watson, a registered occupational therapist who holds a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy directs the Lone Star College-Kingwood Occupational Therapy Program. Her thoughtful gift suggestions can help you shop like an expert. But beware the everyday hazards that will continue to drive the growth of occupational therapy as a career.

Here are a few of my favorite things --- for people who need pampering:

• Kitchen tools with fat handles
• Can openers with a magnet feature to hold the lid.
• A carpenter's belt – These are typically leather and can hang on a walker or chair. The pockets can hold the cordless phone, medications, bottled water, pad and pencil.

Two thoughts on those out-of-the way storage areas for decorations:
Extend your reach with those long-handled reachers you can find at most discount stores. Stabilize your stance with a ladder or step stool with wide steps. You can find them at office and health supply stores.

Avoid a major occupational hazard:
Carpal tunnel doesn't always happen to someone else. Use those wrist supports. Buy that computer geek a foot rest that slants heels down and toes up to get the backside back in the chair. Look into those ergonomic keyboards that turn the wrists slightly outward to keep the arms mobile instead of locked straight forward with small repetitive motions. A trackball is healthier than a mouse because it lets you use a deeper set of muscles and more fingers than just your index finger.

One final question: What are you wearing to the party?
I look at women wearing these spikey high heels and I say to myself, “One day she'll be wondering, ‘What in the world did I do to my back?' And she'll be in therapy.” The problem is the heel. It's where you are putting hundreds of pounds of foot pressure. Every time you put that heel down, you shock your lower back. Your heel feels fine; it's your back that's damaged. Your back needs a square heel that will evenly distribute the weight on your heel when you walk. But I confess --- if I find that perfect shoe and it fits my foot and it matches my party dress--- I buy it! But I limit my time dancing. And I might slip them off when my feet are hidden. There's a way to coyly slip just your heel out, leaving your toe in. Cross your ankles keep one foot behind the other and slide your heel out of the shoe.

Learn more about Lone Star College-Kingwood's occupational therapy assistant program.