Pushing your bundle of joy in their buggy or a pram may seem relatively straightforward. However, according to Claire Cannie from Light Touch Massage, many new parents are putting their backs at risk by pushing their prams incorrectly. Read our latest blog to find out how to avoid back pain when pushing a pushchair.
Unfortunately lower back pain is common among parents of young children. The way in which you push your pram is often a contributory factor as well as the height of the carrycot or pram. The ‘head down, bending over’ position that many adopt when pushing a heavy pram can adversely affect the lower spine for years to come.
‘Parenthood is a very stressful time on the body, especially for new mums. You have just gone through childbirth, and before you have time to fully recover you are picking up the baby, lugging car seats in and out of the car, and pushing pushchairs, often not adjusted to your body’s needs.
An incorrect posture whilst pushing a pram can have long-lasting effects on your overall health, from lower back pain, pelvic issues, and upper body tension. Having a pram that is fully adjusted to your individual needs is paramount for your recovery and future health.’ – says Claire.
Protecting your posture
In order to protect your posture and avoid back pain when pushing a pushchair, our expert recommends that you focus on standing tall and keeping your hips as close to the pram as possible. The handle should allow your feet to comfortably walk as close to the pram as possible, not touching the frame or the wheels. The spine should be straight, and arms well supported on the handle, not too low.
Many prams on the market are designed to cut costs, therefore the frames are much lower than they should be for people of certain heights. For instance, European Nordic nations are taller than southern Europeans, yet many brands don’t include height as an important factor. Your wrists should be comfortable on the handle and not awkwardly bent, as with longer rides your hands will feel stiff, especially when the pram is heavy.
When designing the Babylimo range, the height and position of the handle was carefully considered.
Consider your health too
Nowadays, most prams offer a detachable platform which increases the weight considerably. If you think about the weight of the pushchair, a 10kg child, a 15kg toddler standing on the platform as well as up to 5kg shopping under the pram… straight away from this calculation you are now pushing around 42kg! Now that is a proper workout. If your spine is in the wrong position, your arms are not supported and your calves are needing to help push uphill, this can considerably affect your posture and your health.
The best option is to choose the right pram for your posture, your height, and most importantly for your comfort. It will be an incremental part of your daily life for the next three years, so why should you be at risk of damaging your posture?
Introducing Babylimo
Discover the Babylimo 3 in 1 pram system for modern parents. As well as ensuring you have everything you need to keep your little one safe, it’s also important to consider the impact it can have on you. Our lightweight, durable frame and adjustable handle helps to ensure you avoid hunching over and therefore avoid uncomfortable back & neck pain.
