Better Bending for Lower Back Pain
A LOT of us have the habit of bending from the waist - if we keep doing that during that during pregnancy, eventually baby is going to get in the way! It’s a less efficient movement, and we need all the energy we can get! So pregnancy is a great time to break this habit - especially as you have picking your little one off the floor (and picking up toys) to look forward to!
As you can see, baby is the the way!
Here some tips for easier bending:
Before you bend, pause! Feel your heels on the ground and let them drop into the floor. A lot of us will just be thinking about the bend, and that will make us crunch our body toward the floor, which can be uncomfortable. Ask yourself to lighten up and find your full height and length before you bend.
Ask yourself, do you initiate a bend from the middle of your back? Make friends with your hip joint. Find the location where the front pockets would be on a pair of jeans and make sure that’s what goes when you bend.
When you want to bend - nod your head, and using that motion from the hip joint, let your pelvis swing back. Think of your pelvis and head as a seesaw: these two blocks of weight balance each other.
During pregnancy, the legs can get tired as they work extra hard to help carry the weight of the baby. Keep connecting to your heels. See if finding the support of the floor can allow the muscles of the butt to stop squeezing and the legs to do a little less work.
As you go about your day, feed the dog, get the nursery ready, there will be lots of opportunities to practice bending in a new way, and more importantly, each is an opportunity to take care of yourself.
Did you try this sequence? How did it go for you? Comment below or send me an email - I’d love to hear from you!
For further help, see me for hands-on, individualized coaching at your location in Chicago or via Skype.