Toddlers are wonderful, exhausting, and surprisingly heavy! Many parents expect the interrupted nights and tantrums, but fewer expect the shoulder pain, stiff necks, and aching backs that can develop alongside. The daily jobs of lifting, carrying, pushing, and crouching can add strain to the body. In the busiest time of your life, it’s easy to ignore these mild aches until they really kick off.
As osteopaths, we often see parents whose symptoms are directly linked to the physical demands of toddler life.
Pushing the Pram
Choosing the pram is one of the jobs we like to get done before baby arrives. But what fits best in the nook under the stairs (or fits your colour scheme!) might not be the best for your body. If the handlebars are too low, or cannot be adjusted to the right height, you may find yourself slightly hunched forward every time you walk. Over time, this places extra strain on the shoulders, upper back, and neck.
Some parents notice a nagging ache between the shoulder blades, while others develop tension headaches or pain into the top of the shoulders. If one hand tends to steer more than the other, symptoms can become very one-sided. Excessive single-handed steering can put demand on the thumb and wrist too.
Heavy prams can also affect the lower body. Pushing uphill, over rough terrain, or simply manoeuvring a bulky buggy around town can lead to the calves and glutes working much harder than expected. This is especially noticeable if you are also recovering from pregnancy, dealing with pelvic floor weakness, or generally not moving as much as you used to.
Lifting the Pram Into the Car
The school run or trip to the shops often involves repeatedly lifting an awkward pram in and out of the boot. Unlike lifting a box in the gym, this usually happens with one hand, while balancing a toddler, changing bag, or trying not to scratch the paintwork.
This combination of twisting, reaching, and lifting can irritate the lower back very quickly. Even if the original strain feels small, repeated awkward lifting can build into persistent back pain or a sudden “pull” that feels much more dramatic.
Sleeping on the Floor
You can count yourself lucky if your child gets to three without a rough patch of sleeplessness that leads to you (briefly) sleeping on their floor. Whether due to illness, bad dreams, or a toddler who simply refuses sleep alone, it often means curling up in positions your body doesn’t appreciate.
Sleeping on your side without proper support can lead to neck pain, shoulder stiffness, and hip pain. Even a well carpeted floor doesn’t compare to a mattress, and that pressure can encourage the development of things like hip bursitis.
How Osteopathy Can Help
Osteopaths look at the whole picture, not just the painful area. Shoulder pain from pushing a pram may be made worse by stiffness in the upper back. Lower back pain from lifting might be aggravated by restricted hip movement or weakness left over from pregnancy.
Treatment aims to reduce tension, improve joint movement, and restore better balance throughout the body. We also look for the habits that are driving the problem — whether that is pram height, lifting technique, or favouring one side.
Sometimes small changes make a big difference. When the body is working more efficiently, parenting feels a little less physically demanding.
Make an appointment here for pain relief in Devizes or Pewsey.
