Back Pain From Lifting Your Baby
Ouch! That twang in your back, a deep ache in your buttocks, or a tingling that’s developed down your leg. It’s not fun at all, back pain is the pits!
“I’m already so busy with my kids, I don’t need a new problem right now, it hurts and it won’t go away!”
Sound like you?
Do you have a newborn or a young toddler that is super active and growing heavier each day? My son is currently 11 months old and I’ve noticed more strain on my back when I carry him. I used to be able to hold him with one arm like a football, but lately I’ve had to readjust my baby holding technique! If you’ve been following along in my blog posts, I’ve shared about my long history with back pain. I had to revisit certain exercises and postures to ensure I don’t reinjure myself. Click here if you want to hear my story about back pain.
Since the resurfacing of my back pain, I’ve also noticed many new parents tell me about their back pain. There are some like me who share that an old ache has started to return, whereas others have developed a brand new problem. I’m writing this blog to let you know not to fear! I’m going to impart some knowledge and wisdom so you can still enjoy holding your baby without the stress of back pain. Let’s dive right in.
How can this blog help you?
I like to run through my blogs like I’m seeing a new client. If you are finding similarities with the blog and your situation, chances are the content will help you manage your back condition. I’ve put some common questions I ask my clients to help you find out if physiotherapy is right for you.
When did it start? How did it happen?
Some people don’t remember! Either it’s “baby brain” or the lack of sleep.
Others remember a distinct moment where they lifted something and it hurt like the dickens.
Many have had a history of back problems that have slowly returned. It commonly increases in intensity and gets worse with activity. The timeframe since it started ranges from weeks to months to even years!
Knowing when it started can help a physiotherapist rule out certain conditions. Also knowing how you hurt your back can provide a physiotherapist with clear clues on how to help you.
What does it feel like?
I’ve had a lot of clients report a variety of symptoms, but a question I ask to help get to the source of the problem is – what does it feel like? Here is a list of common presentations:
Pain on the left side of the back going down the left leg
Pain on the right side of the back going down the right leg
Pain across the lower back
No pain in the back, but pain, tingling, or numbness down either leg
Random pains in your ankle, calf, knee, thigh, or hip
Sudden weakness of muscles down one leg
Feeling that something is not quite right
Asking about the quality of the pain is also very important. Tingling, burning and numbness can indicate a nerve related injury. Another great clue to nerve related pain is suddenly developing an injury without a specific event. This might indicate an injury that has slowly crept up with the repetitive lifting of your child.
Common back myth: I need to have back pain if it’s coming from my back
This is false! You can have leg symptoms that masquerade as a hip, thigh, knee, or ankle problem. We call this presentation a referral from your lower back! A great illustration for this is an ice cream headache. The ice cream is on your palate, but you feel it in your brain! Similarly, the source of your leg pain could be stemming from your lower back.
I will always ask if your pain is constant or intermittent. Constancy can help us find out how irritated your back is and what structure could be impacted. You may have constant back pain, but intermittent leg symptoms. Or vice versa!
This image depicts nerves travelling from the spine down the legs into the feet.
Nerves are fascinating as they act as an information highway! From the sensation of touch, to the ability to contract muscles – nerves link our brain to many functions of the body. One example is when we decide to kick a ball. Our brain sends electrical impulses down our spinal cord, through nerves that run out of our backs, and into the muscles of the leg to complete this action. It requires the combination of many different muscles of the leg. But what happens when one of the nerves in our back is compressed?
When there is pressure placed on a nerve, it can impact our ability to contract muscles. There may be weakness which results in difficulty completing tasks. It can also cause an alteration of sensation down the leg. You might notice tingling or numbness in certain parts of your leg, or a feeling that something is off. It’s important to share this information with your physiotherapist. These subtle changes are what will help your physiotherapist figure out what the source of your pain is.
What activities bring on your pain?
Well, the short answer is lifting your kid. But how are you lifting your child? Do you:
Bend your knees?
Bend at the hips?
Do you use one side of your body only?
Breastfeeding can often be very awkward for new moms. Their back begins to hurt because they are always flexed forward tending to their child. This can result in back and/or leg symptoms after adopting that position repeatedly throughout the day.
My wife Jessica lifting with her back
When your child is on the ground, a lot of parents will not bend at the knees, but hinge at the lower back to lift. This can increase strain on the spine because the fulcrum point is the lower back. Another factor in back pain is weak muscles in your back and legs. You’ve got a lot of great muscles that sometimes become underutilized like your glutes and hamstrings!
Cribs are even worse! The railing itself prevents many parents from adopting proper form when lifting or lowering their child.
Standing for long periods while holding your newborn can also put strain on your lower back. Parents will often adopt a sway back posture to help support their child in standing. As your child gets older, you may shift your hips off to the side and prop them on your hip using one arm to support. If you continually use one side, this can often lead to pain later on.
What makes it feel better?
Rest! Not lifting your child – getting your partner/mom/dad/sister/brother/friend to hold your bundle of joy while taking a break! Some people have reported taking medications to take the edge off. Some people get massage, chiropractic, and osteopathy which can help short-term.
Crap. I think I have a back problem, help!
Yes, I felt the same way. But there is hope! I’ve got some tips that can help take the pressure off your back so you can enjoy your little one.
It’s all in the hips… knees, ankles and back
Ever heard the phrase “lift with your legs, not with your back”. I can already hear fellow parents groaning because of how busy they are. Nobody has time for correct form when lifting their child. I get it, it’s an overused phrase, and you’ve got your hands tied. But what if I told you that lifting with your legs can significantly decrease the amount of pain in your back within minutes of learning it. I can’t guarantee that it will take it away completely, but your back needs time to recuperate. Without this, the structures of your lower back won’t get the chance to heal.
So, what does this look like? I’ll break down the components of a lifting posture that is most commonly helpful in people.
Back in neutral
This isn’t a gear shift. It’s more like the natural curve of your back. Some curve in your back is healthy and it may like this position better than flexed forward when holding your bundle of joy. A neutral spine position can be stronger depending on the person. So how do you find neutral? If you adopt a four-point kneeling position and perform cat-cow (it’s a yoga move), you can find the position in between using a mirror, and this position is neutral. It is important to note however, that there are some exceptions to this rule.
Not everyone is strong in neutral.
There are some who are comfortable and strong with a flexed or extended spine. It all depends on what type of injury you have or how your body is made. Certain people may find that being flexed relieves pain while lifting, while others feel better with their spine fully extended. Your physiotherapist at Break Free Physiotherapy will help you determine this by listening to your history and completing a thorough assessment.
The cat-cow movement to help you find neutral
Corey in ‘cat’ position (flexed)
Corey in ‘cow’ position (extended)
Corey in neutral position
Hip Hinge
Use those hips! Have you ever heard of your gluteus maximus? They’re one of the largest hip muscles involved in helping us stand straight. When we lift using our back first by bending forward at the spine, our glutes lose out on the action. But when you hip hinge, your glutes can assist your back during lifting. The question is – how do you hip hinge?
Think of when you decide to sit; what moves first? We stick our bums out to initiate the movement, and that transfers our weight to the heels. Another cue is, “try and close your dresser drawer with just your bum”. Please remember to keep your back in neutral when completing this movement. You can use a stick along your back, and practice sitting down in a chair to help you find neutral positioning while preforming a hip hinge.
Using a stick can help your spine stay in neutral during the hip hinge
Lifting from the crib
Let’s look at how else we can help you with the dreaded crib using a hip hinge.
Too much flexion versus neutral positioning of the spine
By maintaining a neutral spine and sitting back on your heels while using your arms to lower, you can decrease pressure on your back. If you’re a bit shorter, standing on a step stool could take pressure off your back as well.
Lifting your child from the ground
There are two ways to lift using the hip hinges.
Deep squat
The Deep Squat - If you have the ability to squat all the way down, this will allow you to use more of your knees and hip during the lift. Your centre of gravity is right over your legs making is easier on your back.
The Deadlift - If you have knee pain or your ankles are too tight to squat down, try keeping a neutral back and lifting through the hips more. This may require a bit more coordination and training. If you’ve ever trained using a deadlift, this may be more familiar.
Hip hinge with legs straighter
Okay what if I can’t squat all the way down?
You might have some mobility and strength issues in your back, hip, knees and ankles that a physiotherapist will need to look at. Our physiotherapists at Break Free are trained to find movement loss in all areas of your body. We don’t just look at one part of your body, we look at everything. As many people say, “it’s all connected”. That’s to say, the human body is interconnected. A full examination is important to find out how we can get you back to living life comfortably.
I’m still having trouble with the hip hinge
You may have a stiff hip! I do not have a list of stretches because people are uniquely designed and require very specific stretches or exercises. I’ve seen people hurt themselves from trying all the stretches they see online. Although most stretches or exercises may be harmless, it’s important to provide something precise as your time is precious. A trained professional that completes a full assessment will be able to save you time by determining which movements will guide you towards recovery.
A neutral spine and use of the hip hinge can really help you get on the road to recovery. I hope this blog has been helpful in providing you with tips on how to decrease your back pain when lifting your child. If you need to see a physiotherapist, I’d highly recommend seeing one of our clinicians that can give you a comprehensive assessment.
Corey Kim
Co-Owner and Physiotherapist
Hey, my name is Corey, and I’m a co-owner of Break Free Physiotherapy and Wellness. I was born in Seoul, South Korea but grew up in London, Ontario. I finished both my Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology and Master of Physical Therapy degrees at Western University. I’m passionate about helping people find pain relief through movement and believe in self-empowerment by sharing knowledge of the human body and its ability to heal. [full bio]
