As a parent, your posture is perhaps not as good as it was when you were childless. From bending over to pick up your screaming toddler to carrying a baby around in your belly for nine months, posture can take a hit.
However, before it’s too late, posture can be improved upon if you’re aware of it. Bettering your posture as a parent can help to enjoy a healthier life for longer so that hopefully one day, you’ll be able to pick up your grandchildren with ease! Here are a few tips to better your posture as a parent.
Avoid bending over to pick up your child
Try to avoid bending over when you’re picking up your child. This can have a devastating impact on your back, especially if the weight becomes too much. It could result in a disc slipping or something worse that’s not repairable with either surgery or medication.
When picking up your child, make sure to bend at the knees and to use minimal effort on your back to lift them. There will be a point when picking up your child won’t be possible, so try to limit when you pick them up at a later age.
Be wary of when you’re hunched over
Sometimes, there are times when you’re hunched over. This could be when you are feeding your little one for example. You may also find yourself doing this when working at a computer desk, which is only going to contribute to poor posture as you get older.
Try to be wary of when you’re hunched over so that you can lean back up and correct that posture. Not recognising it or correcting it, is only going to make the posture worse and to the point that it gets harder to fix.
Look at various treatments for specific problems
There are lots of treatments out there that can help with back pain like acupuncture for example. You’ve got treatments that have been designed for specific problems and have been proven to be effective for some.
Of course, these treatments might not be effective for everyone but it’s something that can certainly be worth trying. For example, the schroth method has a lot of popularity as a treatment for those with scoliosis.
Keep active but don’t do anything too strenuous
When it comes to bettering your posture, try to stay as active as you can. Keeping active is going to help with posture alignment, especially with exercises like yoga and pilates.
Exercise however should never be too strenuous that it’s putting pressure on your back. You want to be careful that this is not to an excess that could damage your back permanently.
Use ergonomic equipment when working
Ergonomic equipment is useful when it comes to providing better posture and alignment. Be selective with office equipment, whether that’s working from home or within an office environment.
To help improve your quality of life and to enjoy parenthood, use these tips to make sure you improve posture and alignment of the spine.
