Does carrying a baby cause back pain?
Posted on 14. Jul, 2010 by drchris in Ask Dr. Chris
Question : I have back pain on the lower left of my back, it is not there every day and I was wondering if it was to do with carrying my 20 month old toddler or walking in incorrect shoes, I walk 20 to 30 miles per week.
I must answer this question in two parts.
First – carrying a baby/toddler. From a purely biological, evolutionary point of view, women’s hips are designed to carry babies on them, and is therefore something all adult women should be able to do with no problem.
Second – shoes. Walking for a lifetime in badly fitting shoes will cause changes in the feet that for some will cause problems. The remedy can be as simple as doing a few exercises, or buying a pair of decent arch supports.
If you are getting back pain you should consult an expert though – and usually the sooner the better. The longer you leave a ‘niggle’ or an intermittent problem the more likely it is to develop into something more permanent and harder to treat.
Here are some simple tests for you to do at home that will help you determine if you need to seek professional help.
Either look at yourself in the mirror, or ask someone to check for you for the first test. Stand up and look at your posture – is one ear lower than the other, are your shoulders level, are your hips level, and are your knees level?
If you are uneven it is best to seek the help of a chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist, or someone else that works with posture.
Sit down with bare feet on the floor – there should be a little arch under the inside of your feet where you can place your fingers. When you stand up do those arches completely go, or does one side compress more than the other?
Find a podiatrist, chiropractor who works with feet, or another biomechanical specialist.
Next – try balancing on one leg, then the other. If this is easy and you can balance equally well on each leg, then try with eyes closed. You should be able to balance on each leg for ½ minute. If you can not balance with your eyes closed, you need help – even if you are not in pain, it is an early warning sign.
Next, lie on your front, on the floor, and try and lift up one leg behind you, as high as you can. Now try with the other leg. You will need to have some one watching for this as you should be able to raise each leg the same height. Pain is also an indicator you need help.
The best person for you to see if you have back pain is a chiropractor or an osteopath, and some experienced physiotherapists. They will spend time to ask questions and examine you to determine what type of care you will need.
If you particularly wish for me to help you I am available for email and telephone consultations if you can not get to one of my clinics. You can contact me through my clinic website
The Pain Relief Centre – the Home of Natural Pain Relief
