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Lifting and carrying a child,
picking up toys off the floor, and pushing a stroller are normal daily tasks for
a mother. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) offers these tips to
help moms and other care givers accomplish these daily feats without aches and
pains.
Lifting
Your Child From the Floor
When picking your child up off
the floor, you should use a half-kneel lift. First, stand close to your child on
the floor. While keeping your back straight, place one foot slightly forward of
the other foot, and bend your hips and knees to lower yourself onto one knee.
Once down on the floor, grasp your child with both arms and hold him or her
close to your body. Tighten your stomach muscles, push with your legs, and
slowly return to the standing position. To place your child onto the floor, the
same halfkneel technique should be performed.
Carrying/Holding
Your Child
When holding or carrying
your child, you should always hold him or her close to your body and
balanced in the center of your body.
Avoid holding your child in one arm and balanced on your hip!
When using a child carrier, be sure to keep your back straight and your
shoulders back to avoid straining your back and neck. |
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Picking
up Toys From the Floor
As a
mother, you will find yourself cleaning up after your child often. When
picking toys up from the floor, keep your head and back straight, and
while bending at your waist, extend one leg off the floor straight behind
you. |
Lifting
Your Child Out of the Crib
If your child’s crib has a rail
that lowers, you will want it in the lowest position when lifting your child out
of the crib. As you lift, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly
bent. Arch your low back and, while keeping your head up, bend at your hips.
With both arms, grasp your child and hold him or her close to your chest.
Straighten your hips so you are in an upright position, and then extend your
knees to return to a full stand. To return your child to the crib, use the same
technique and always remember to keep your child close to your chest.
Pushing
a Stroller
When pushing your child in a
stroller, you will want to stay as close to the stroller as possible, allowing
your back to remain straight and your shoulders back. The force to push the
stroller should come from your entire body, not just your arms. Avoid pushing
the stroller too far ahead of you because this will cause you to hunch your back
and shoulders forward. |
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APTA Recommends 'Tummy Time'
| APTA is urging parents and caregivers to ensure that
babies get enough "tummy time" throughout the day while they are awake and
supervised, in light of a recent survey of therapists who say they've
noticed an increase in motor delays in infants who spend too much time on
their backs while awake. In the national survey of 400 pediatric
physical and occupational therapists, conducted on behalf of Pathways
Awareness, a nonprofit group dedicated to early detection of motor delays
in children, twothirds of those surveyed say they've seen an increase in
early motor delays in infants over the past six years. The survey was
conducted with the assistance of the Section on Pediatrics and the
Neuro-Development Treatment Association.
Physical therapists who saw an increase in motor delays said that the
lack of "tummy time," i.e. the amount of time infants spend lying on their
stomachs while awake, is the number one contributor to the escalation in
cases. |
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Visit www.apta.org for more information and to read comments by
Colleen
Coulter-O'Berry, PT, MS, PCS, Karen Karmel-Ross, PT, PCS, LMT, and Judy Towne
Jennings, PT, MA. |
