According to our Stoke on Trent chiropractor, parents – and especially those with young children – could be at a higher risk of developing chronic back pain. Carrying a toddler on your hip everyday can leave your spine feeling like it’s been pushed down in the “pecking order”, to say the least. And of course, that’s without lugging a heavy car seat back and forth and not being able to leave the house without your life’s belongings in tow!
Luckily, our chiropractor has two great tips that can help you to reduce your chances of developing chronic back pain:
1: Lift with your legs
When you pick up your child or the car seat (or anything for that matter!), stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend forward from your hips. When you’re putting your baby in her crib, hold her as close to you as possible; making an effort not to round your back.
2: Don’t carry your life in your nappy bag
While children and babies need a lot of items at hand, you could probably remove many of the things you carry around with you without leaving your child short of anything she needs.
If you’re planning a day trip, consider wearing a backpack so that you can distribute the weight of the bag evenly across your shoulders. Wearing a one-strap bag across your body or alternating the shoulder on which you carry it can also help to balance the load.
Start implementing these tips straight away. After all; parenting is demanding enough without back pain to deal with too!