Baking and your back?
Hi Everyone
I've been suffering with serious back pain lately (I am only 28 and am fairly fit) and was wondering if other cake decorators suffer from the same thing? My working hours are usually from 8pm until about 2am - depending on what cake I'm doing. During this time, I hardly take a break to sit down because if I'm not colouring icing, I'm washing dishes.
How do you deal with this physically intensive job? And I say physically intensive because you use your hands a lot of the time! And yes while some may think standing for 6hrs straight is easy, it actually isn't.
My problem is probably 10 fold though - I am a sucker for stilettos!!! This, plus a full day of work in front of a pc, and another 6hr shift after work is probably all adding up to this niggling pain I'm currently experiencing.
If you have any tips on how to actually say NO to orders and take a break in between, please let me know?? I cannot afford to walk hunched over at the tender age of 28 hehehe
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lynette Dlamini on
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Thanks so much for the feedback Shirley!! I am 1/56m tall (or short as some people would say) so I can understand the extra work that comes with rolling out large pieces of fondant!
I am going to invest in another table that is a decent height, a comfy chair and even better shoes. I've been standing in thin slippers on a tiled floor - not mat in between! Will try that as well!
As for saying no, well I am going to try that soon as I'm writing exams this month and next!! Will see how it goes! :)
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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on
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This going to sound crazy Carlette, but I actually do set a timer, a mental timer. For example, I say to myself, when I finish piping this, I'm going to stretch, when I've rolled the fondant, I'll take a 10 min break...etc. I have also done my pelvic tilt back excercises on my F/R floor inbetween decorating. I now where my running shoes with built in orthotics, cause sandals & slippers do give me a back ache from lack of support. And now, rather than continuously washing up all the time, I either pile everything into the sink & do at the end, or put in the dishwasher.
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Ladies Ladies
I am back in action..well somewhat! I discovered that the back pain I had was due to a slipped disc. Imagine that? they told me it was as a result of prolonged hours of standing, prolonged hours of sitting, wearing crazy high heels and not exercising at all. am seeing a chiro and biokineticist for the next month! So far so good! I cannot wait to get back into the kitchen! this gave me a shock and made realise that time out for myself is sooo important.
Sure you ladies already know that time for yourself is important, just thought I would remind you. :)
Hope all is well with both of you!! :)
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Glad you are on the mend. Any repetitive motion can cause problems. You are so right, we DO need to take care if ourselves :0)
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Permalink Reply by Marie McCue on
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I feel your pain, my back kills me when I am making cakes. Like yourself my cake hours are mostly at night, ive got toddler twins who go to bed at 7.30pm and the cakes usually get started then so between chasing them all day and then standing til all hours, it doesnt do much good for the backache!! I try and remind myself to sit down every so often and I try and wear the comfiest things I can when doing cakes. I am really short (only 5ft) and so I find myself standing all the time. Due to being so small I am also a sucker for high heels!! We never learn :)
As for saying No to cakes, I havent mastered that yet either. I have only managed to say no to cakes a couple of times and that was because I was away on holiday and absolutely could not do it. Good luck with that and hope your back gets better soon x
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