3 Kitchen Remodelling Tips to Combat Back Pain

If you suffer from frequent back pain, cooking in the kitchen everyday can be agonising. Thankfully, there are many ways to remodel your kitchen to make cooking easier on your spine. Here are 3 pain-relieving ideas to take to your kitchen installations specialist.

Get an Oven Built-In at Eye Level

Repeatedly bending over to check on food in the oven is a sure-fire way to make your back hurt. This is especially true if you do a lot of baking or other types of cooking that require constant peeking through the oven door. The best way to reduce this pain is to get a built-in oven (or two!) installed at eye level. These ovens are set into or between cabinets, seamlessly integrating with the rest of your kitchen design. For many people, the main benefit of built-in ovens is that they look great, but they also reduce back pain by allowing you to check on food and take it in and out of the oven without bending and twisting your back.

Install Higher or Lower Counters

Bending isn't just a problem when using a freestanding oven. For people who are taller than average, hunching over a low counter to prepare food can be even more painful than bending deeply to use an oven. This is because using a low counter requires prolonged poor posture. Likewise, for people who are shorter than average, reaching up high to prepare food can also increase your back pain. When you remodel your kitchen, make sure you get counters installed at the right height for you. To check what height your counter should be, stand with your arms at your sides and bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle. The height of the counter shouldn't be more than a few inches below where your hands are. If you have multiple chefs in your house, you can choose different heights for your wall counters and island counters to accommodate both of you.

Make Space for Small Appliances

One of the most common kitchen organisation tips is to store small appliances (like fryers and slow cookers) in cabinets when they're not in use. However, if you suffer from back pain, repeatedly bending or stretching into cabinets and lifting small but heavy appliances can cause a lot of unnecessary discomfort. Instead, try to plan and design your kitchen to make space for the small appliances you use. Aside from installing more counters, you can move condiments, fruit bowls, and other items that are currently taking up space to island counters or dining tables. If you can't find space for all your appliances, make sure you have cabinets installed at eye level so you don't have to bend or stretch to reach them.