Let’s face it. Between dropping the kids off to soccer practice and being swamped with work assignments, it can be difficult to find time to manage lingering aches and pain. If you’d like to avoid a trip to the doctor’s office or spending money on workout equipment, here is a low cost approach to solving discomfort using items lying around your house.

Golf Balls
It turns out that these petite dimpled balls can be used for more than a game-winning putt. Just roll the ball under your foot while seated to help relieve tension in sore feet.

Tennis Balls
Standing against a wall, place a tennis ball between your back and the wall. Slowly move up and down or side to side to help work out tension in your back or shoulders.

Frozen Peas
Forget expensive ice packs. Frozen vegetables are a great alternative and will form to fit different parts of your body.

Rolling Pin
Tight thigh muscles are common in runners, walkers and other athletes. Roll a rolling pin up and down along the front or side of your thigh to help relieve this tension.

Towel
If you sit at a desk all day, you may feel tension in your back or chest from slouching. To help relieve the pain, place a rolled towel on the floor. Sit at one end, facing away from the roll. Slowly lay back so that the roll is under your spine, supporting you from the neck to the lower back. Relax in this position for one minute, feeling a stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders. To avoid straining your neck while in this position, rest your head on the roll or place a pillow at the end of the roll for more support.

These tips may not completely eliminate pain from your life, but try them for a few weeks and you’ll likely feel less discomfort. Recurrent pain can affect your quality of life, but learning how to cope with it can help you manage its harmful impact. A chiropractor can diagnose the cause of your pain and develop a treatment plan in order to get you back to doing the things you love to do.

As you read this article, more than likely on your phone or tablet, take a moment to notice your posture. There’s a good chance that your back is hunched, your head is tilted forward and your shoulders are rounded. When school season starts many students from grade school to university will be spending a large portion of their day looking at a screen as they text friends, read e-books and write essays. Be sure to keep an eye on your posture during these activities. Your back and neck will thank you.

Did you know that bending your head to look at your phone can put up to 60 pounds of pressure on your spine? A 2014 study in Surgical Technology International showed that even a 15-degree head tilt adds 27 pounds of pressure. As we use our phones and laptops more and more, that stress adds up!

Hand-held devices aren’t going anywhere soon — they’re useful and convenient. As you tap and swipe, follow these tips to avoid the aches and pains that come with the digital age.

Take a break
Holding up your phone or tablet for extended periods of time can strain the muscles in your shoulders, arms and fingers. Let your arms rest at your sides every so often.

The 20-20-20 rule
Give your eyes a break! Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to look about 20 feet ahead (or as far as possible).

Change positions
Next time you’re thinking of pulling an all-nighter, try to avoid sitting for longer than 30 minutes at a time. Get up and walk around!

Aim higher
Raise your phone up closer to eye level to reduce strain on your neck. When watching lectures on your tablet or laptop, be sure to prop it up against something so your shoulders and arms can relax.
Stretch it outSlowly turn your head towards your left shoulder, hold for five seconds and repeat on your right side. You can also download Straighten Up Canada! — a free app developed by Canada’s chiropractors with videos of stretches you can do to help your posture in just three minutes!

The only thing that’s more important than “perfect” posture is movement. If you still have pain and discomfort after trying these tips, visit a chiropractor to develop a plan to keep you pain-free in the classroom.