Housework is manifold and due to its varied motions good for your back, per se. But, when you have a weak musculature a wrong or one-sided movement like for example carrying, bending down or lifting up may lead to back pain. In this case, strengthen your back with sufficient movement and training. Read more about housework without pain in the back.
Tips for a back-friendly posture
- It is important to care for a good body posture when working in the household. For example, stand upright during vacuuming or sweeping.
- Try to keep your back straight.
- Move with bent knee- and hip-joints and an open leg position. An open, axial leg position enables to tip the pelvis slightly forward and to take a relaxed upright position. A correct axial alignment of the legs is forming an imaginary line leading through the center of the hip joints, the knee joints, ankle joints and the feet. Do these joints depart from this line it might lead to a strain of the spine and the joints mentioned.
The proper working height is important for housework without pain in the back
- Care for a proper height of your work surface. This prevents from stooping during work. It is not good to stoop deeply when washing the dishes. Even when your work surface has an appropriate height it is advisable to slightly lean onto the front during cooking or doing the dishes. This enables a relaxing body posture.
- Furthermore, care for the proper working height when ironing. Your ironing board should neither be to positioned too deep nor too high. Here too, take an open, axial leg position and try to not turn your spine during work and to keep your back upright.
Change between sitting and standing
- Not only in the office you should change sitting and standing. A regular change makes sense, in your everyday life at home, too.Viewing height and comfortable reach
- Care, that the most needed things are in viewing height and comfortable reach. Place the things accordingly into your cupboard. The same applies for your dish washer, fridge and washing machine. Don’t place it directly on the floor but on a small platform (washing machine). This makes loading and de-loading easier and better for your back.
Avoid constant bending
- Avoid constant bending, also when you are hanging out the laundry. Put the basket on a chair and avoid a hollow back
Proper step position
- Whether you are making the beds or you are vacuuming: always care for a back relieving proper step position.
Avoid one-sided carrying
Don’t carry heavy loads one-sided. Spread the weight onto both arms.
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