Pain in the neck? Bad back? Shoulders shot? No time to deal with it? We’re all busy in our lives, and—let’s face it—often don’t have the time (or the motivation) to do anything about it.
Although nothing compares to a one-on-one assessment with a registered physiotherapist, (especially if your pain is constant, serious, and prevents you from doing things) there’s always space in your busy day of carting kids and briefcases to work on your posture. And posture is important! The thigh bone really is connected to the back bone, and poor posture can lead to serious musculoskeletal (read- back pain and neck pain) issues later on. So what’s a busy mummy to do?
In my day to day practice, I see lots of people (even mummies, when they have the time) for various reasons which can be alleviated by simple fit-into-your-day changes.
Do your Kegels
If you didn’t hear way too much about Kegels when you were pregnant, you should have. Kegels work the supporting muscles in your lower pelvis. Quite frankly, you can do a Kegel anywhere, anytime. ExplainMyPain.ca has a great article on how and why you should do them.
Buy a Therapy Ball
Balls are GREAT. I use them A LOT. You can get really fancy and do complicated things with them (if you can get them away from your kids), but just sitting on them is better for you than you’d think. Therapy balls encourage you to use your core muscles to maintain balance. Sit on your ball while you’re at the computer (my biggest posture problem), and you’ll be much less likely to slouch.
Put Your Foot Up
Standing for long periods of time (doing dishes, perhaps or waiting for the photocopier?) is hard on your back. Especially if you stand with knees locked, and have on unsupportive shoes. One thing you can do to help is to open a cupboard door and rest one foot on the ledge. Or put your foot up on a box or a book. Unlock your knees. Do a slight knee bend. Reduce the strain and your back will thank you.
Treat Your Toes
Knee, hip, back and even upper spine problems can have their root in the foot. It all works upwards. If your arches are low or high, or your toes have quirks, you may want to consider custom made orthotics. No two feet are the same- so why should we cram them in to similar shoes? Most private insurance companies will cover custom made orthotics, so often you won’t even see the bill. An orthotic fitting takes very little time (about half an hour at my physiotherapy clinic) and they can last for two years or more!
Bend Over Backwards
We spend our entire day working in front of our bodies- lifting, typing, washing, making beds, picking up wining kids—all of these things involve forward movement. How often do you spend (gently) bending backwards? Do you find yourself stretching backward to give your back a break? Does bending forward make you grit your teeth? Robin McKenzie, a prominent physiotherapist from ‘Down Under’ emphasizes listening to your back…i.e., if it hurts, don’t do it. If it feels good, do it more.
Not a bad life credo, if you ask me.
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