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Writer's pictureErienne Blanchard

Neck Pain and Food Preparation, How can I get ready for Thanksgiving?

Do you find that while preparing your normal dinners you get neck pain and upper shoulder pain? Are you limited in what meals you can cook due to your pain in the kitchen? What about Thanksgiving preparation as it is so much more?


Mother and daughter cooking and baking for Thanksgiving

There are strategies to reduce you neck and positions you can use to reduce the effect. Many of you will begin to prepare your foods or have been already starting today or even this past Monday. Remember that you need to take breaks. Think about 30 min at any one task and try to prepare your foods with built in position changes.

  • Sit while cutting or peeling in order to break up standing tasks such as mixing

  • Mix with electric utilizes to reduce the overuse of the shoulder

  • Remember to keep your chin tuck and bend more at the waist to reduce the stress on the neck

  • Take 30 min breaks between dishes to allow you to change positions and go rest maybe while the bread is rising or the potatoes are roasting.

  • Plan your preparations out to several days as needed to reduce the stress on the body.


Cooking is a wonderful way to engage and have family time. By bringing in more people to your food preparation as a group, you can reduce the stress solely on you and increase your joy with more discussion. Think of ways that you can have "cooking parties" to prepare and extend the joy of the family time together.


A family eating together and enjoying time at Thanksgiving

If you are having more pain from your food preparation and are not finding relieve, please reach out to your practitioners for assistance or me to get started on reducing your pain and helping you to have strategies for your cooking tasks.


Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and may your day be filled with joy!

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