Deepavali Health Tips: Avoiding Injuries During Festivities

Two days of polishing brass lamps, an afternoon spent creating kolam on your knees, and hours of squeezing murukku dough by hand – your body has taken a beating before the celebration even starts. Here is how to get through Deepavali preparations without the aches ruining your festivities.

Kolam Making: Protecting Your Knees and Back

Creating kolam – the beautiful rice flour or coloured powder designs placed at the entrance of homes – is one of the most cherished Deepavali traditions among Malaysian Indians. However, the physical demands of this art form can take a toll on your body. Kolam making requires prolonged kneeling or squatting on hard floor surfaces, combined with forward bending and fine motor control of the hands.

Kneeling directly on tile or cement floors – standard in most Malaysian homes – compresses the kneecap against the hard surface, irritating the bursa (a fluid-filled cushion beneath the kneecap). This can lead to prepatellar bursitis, commonly known as housemaid's knee. The sustained forward bending also places load on the lumbar discs.

To protect yourself, use a thick foam gardening pad or folded towel under your knees. Take breaks every 15 to 20 minutes to stand and gently extend your back. If you experience knee pain, try creating your kolam from a low stool instead of kneeling directly on the ground.

The Deepavali Cleaning Marathon

Like other major Malaysian festivals, Deepavali preparations involve thorough house cleaning. Oil lamps need to be polished, floors scrubbed to a shine, and the entire home decorated with fresh flowers and banana leaves. The physical demands mirror those of other festive cleaning periods, but the addition of polishing brass and copper prayer items involves sustained gripping and repetitive wrist movements that can strain the forearm muscles.

Break cleaning tasks into manageable sessions over several days rather than attempting everything in a single weekend. Alternate between tasks that use different body parts – switch from floor scrubbing (legs and back) to wiping shelves (arms and shoulders) to give muscle groups time to recover.

Cooking for Deepavali: Hand Strain and Standing Fatigue

Deepavali cooking in Malaysian Indian households is an intensive affair, often spanning two to three days before the festival.

Murukku making: This beloved snack requires squeezing dough through a press with significant hand force, then carefully shaping the spirals. The repetitive squeezing action can cause strain in the thenar muscles (the fleshy pad at the base of your thumb) and irritate the tendons of the wrist. If making large batches, switch hands regularly, take breaks every 15 minutes, and soak your hands in warm water between sessions to relieve tension.

Grinding spices: While many Malaysian families now use electric grinders, some still use traditional stone grinders for fresh masala. The circular grinding motion places considerable load on the shoulder and arm. Keep your elbows close to your body and use your body weight rather than arm strength to drive the movement.

Standing for hours: Preparing multiple dishes means hours at the stove and kitchen counter. Wear supportive footwear even indoors – not just slippers – and place an anti-fatigue mat in front of your primary work area. Shift your weight between feet and bend one knee slightly at a time to reduce static load on your lower back.

Traditional Dance Movements

Deepavali celebrations in Malaysia often include traditional Indian dance performances at community events, temple functions, and open houses. Classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam involve deep knee bends (aramandi), rapid footwork, and expressive arm movements that demand flexibility and strength.

Recreational performers who only dance during the festive season are at particular risk of muscle strains and knee injuries. Warm up thoroughly before any performance, practice the more demanding sequences gradually in the weeks before the event, and listen to your body if a movement causes pain.

Fireworks Safety

While regulations on fireworks in Malaysia are strict, sparklers and small firecrackers remain common during Deepavali. Burns to the hands and fingers are the most frequent injury.

Hold sparklers at arm's length, never point them toward anyone, supervise children closely, and keep a bucket of water nearby for disposal. If a burn occurs, cool it under running water for at least 20 minutes and seek medical attention for any burn larger than the palm of the hand.

Prolonged Sitting During Family Gatherings

Deepavali open houses in Malaysia can last all day, with guests seated for extended periods enjoying conversation and food. Sitting on the floor for traditional banana leaf meals is particularly challenging for those with hip or knee stiffness.

If floor sitting is uncomfortable, there is no shame in using a chair. For those who do sit on the floor, sit cross-legged with a cushion elevating your hips above your knees to reduce lower back strain. Change position frequently and stand up to walk around every 30 minutes.

Foot Care: Breaking in New Shoes

New clothes and shoes are traditional for Deepavali, but wearing stiff, unbroken shoes throughout a day of visiting and celebration can cause blisters, plantar fasciitis flare-ups, and general foot pain. Break in new shoes for short periods in the days before Deepavali, apply blister plasters to known hot spots, and keep a pair of comfortable shoes in the car as a backup.

Recovery Stretches for the Festival Season

• Child's pose – Kneel and sit back on your heels, reaching arms forward along the floor. Hold 30 seconds to relieve back tension from cooking and kolam making
• Wrist extensor stretch – Extend one arm, palm down, and gently pull fingers toward you with the other hand. Hold 20 seconds each side after murukku making
• Standing calf raise and lower – Rise onto your toes then slowly lower heels below the step edge. 15 repetitions to counter standing fatigue
• Seated spinal twist – Sit on a chair, cross one leg, and gently twist toward the crossed knee. Hold 20 seconds each side to relieve sitting stiffness

Struggling with Back Pain? A physiotherapist can assess your condition and create a personalised recovery plan. Chat with a physiotherapist near you