Back advice site www.backadvice.info offers top tips to keep mums and dads moving this summer!
Recent studies have found that 52% of Britons suffer with back pain, but when you consider the daily strain parents put their backs under, you can see why.


As parents, we’ve all got plenty to juggle - running errands, shopping, school runs, family outings, and the list goes on (and on, and on…).

Now add children to this equation - lifting them in and out of the car, playing games, and taking them to the park can all put serious strain on the delicate back muscles, leaving them susceptible to aches, pains and strains.

Parents take exceptional care of their children but sometimes forget their own capabilities and become vulnerable to injury. With three out of four** people in the UK experiencing lower back pain during their lifetime, taking precautionary measures to avoid injury is essential, especially when you’re a parent.

To help Britain’s superhero parents protect their backs this summer, www.backadvice.info has come up with some handy health commandments to keep everyone on the move:

    * Buy a quality baby carrier - There are lots of good baby carriers specially designed to ease pressure on parents’ shoulders and back. Purchase a good quality one and above all, read the instructions and wear it properly to minimise back strain

    * Don't arch – It’s common for people with front baby carriers or those carrying heavy bags, to arch the back. This shifts all the pressure to the lower back causing strain. Instead, stand up tall and tense the stomach muscles to relieve some of the pressure

    * Use your legs - When lifting a child, or anything from the floor, squat down and then use your leg muscles, not your back muscles, to stand up

    * Prioritise – Avoid trying to carry everything at once. Take the children indoors first, and then return for the shopping, this way you can be sure loads are equally distributed

    * Lighten up – It can be tempting to pack everything for those just-in-case moments, but if it isn’t essential, leave it behind. Try and distribute weight evenly across both shoulders, or change sides regularly

    * Get lots of sleep - Parenting can take a lot out of you. Try to get good quality sleep when you can. Many people don’t give a second thought to the mattress they sleep on, but a pressure-relieving mattress can ease the pressure on the body, reducing aches and pains and improving circulation. TEMPUR Mattresses are made from a unique temperature-sensitive material that conforms to, and supports the individual user by evenly distributing body weight

    * Unload correctly - When unloading the boot of the car, place your foot on the bumper of your car for support if the bumper is not too high. Store items in the boot close to the bumper. Lift items onto the car frame first and then lift them off the frame to your arms. If you must reach something located deep inside the boot, brace yourself on the car with one arm while reaching

    * Exercise – It’s well known that prevention is better than cure. A moderate exercise routine can help alleviate and ease back pain. After following an exercise routine for a few weeks, you’ll probably notice that picking up and carrying the children becomes easier as your back gets stronger

www.backadvice.info is home to a host of practical advice to help individuals manage back pain on a day-to-day basis, whether at home, work or play. The site offers a wealth of information on the causes of back pain, as well as conventional and alternative treatments, preventative measures and exercises to help ease the pain. Osteopath Geoffrey Montague-Smith is available to provide professional guidance and answer any tricky questions you have about your own back pain.

Visit the site at www.backadvice.info. For more information about TEMPUR products, visit www.tempur.co.uk.