Three Simple Ways to Reduce Your Back Pain with Household Chores

Let’s face it, household chores are rarely fun.

But for most of us, it is a necessity in life.

Research indicates, at some point in life, 80% or more people suffer from back pain.  I’m on a mission to lower that statistic.

I’ve often found clients report that household chores are a problem and difficult because of back pain. 

Today, I want to suggest a few helpful tips to reduce your likelihood of pain interfering with this routine need in life.

3 simple steps:

  1. Stable support
  2. Good spine alignment
  3. T Rex arms

Stable Support: Martial arts experts are well trained in this skill.   If you aren’t firmly rooted to the ground, you have less stability to generate force from the feet through the core to your hands.  Widen your stance and grip with your feet as if you are locking your feet into the floor.

Alignment: Loading / unloading the dishwasher, picking up clothes, vacuuming…they all require forward bending.  That forward bending action should come from the hips rather than the spine.  

  • This 1:30″ video describes efficient bending from the hip, rather than the spine…Hip Hinge
  • If you can Hip Hinge, you can keep a good spine alignment.
  • Keep your feet and hands heading the same direction.
    • Notice that backward foot position with vacuuming.  The foot is likely turned outwards as you reach.  Square that up so both feet follow the hands.  That will help you reduce twisting (rotating) in the spine.

T Rex arms: T Rex has itty bitty arms. 

If you had short arms, how would you pick up those socks on the ground?   

Short arms require us to get very close to what we’re going to lift, push or pull and that’s a key.  Repetitively pulling / pushing the vacuum cleaner or sweeping, especially when attempting to do this quickly, we overreach outside that stable support stance & often change our good alignment by rotating the spine.   

If you have back pain with household chores, don’t lose heart.  It doesn’t have to be the case.  

Small daily habits like getting closer during your chores, hip hinging and keeping a stable base may save you pain, frustration and money.  

If the self care tips don’t provide relief alone, Call (803) 800-4606 for a complimentary discovery call to see if we might be a good fit to help you solve that problem.

Thanks,

Dr. Kevin Ford, DPT, OCS, CMPT, FAAOMPT, CSCS

Upwards Physiotherapy, LLC