Low back pain in the kitchen, and with the vacuum
This is not medical advice.
I have heard this complaint many times over the years. There is usually one common factor, and that is the posture with both activities.
This is especially common in the service industry. People may need to lean over sinks or cutting boards, or vacuum on and off all day.
Height
There are two heights that matter here. The height of the person, and the height of the counter.
Tall people can have more low back pain as they have less leverage with a longer lever arm (their spine). Of course their muscles should also be proportionately longer, but sometimes they are relatively weaker.
Counter heights that are too low will also cause people to have to lean over more.
Posture
We tend to lean slightly forward reaching in the sink, or leaning over the cutting board, or holding heavy pots, or reaching with the vacuum. All of these things can pull on the lower back muscles.
Heavy objects, like cast iron cookware or full baking pans, held away from our center of mass, pulls harder on our lower back.
Quick Fixes
There are also some quick postural exercises or reminders you can do in the kitchen.
Back extensions are not for everyone. Some people may have too much lower back arch, and that needs to be assessed in person. Some people do find pain relief from this movement. Sometimes 5-10 reps is all it takes.
Massage
Of course, we’d all like to lay down and receive a massage. But we may not have time, or that may not be in the budget. The foam roller pictured above can be found in many retail stores for $20-30. That’s a good self massage. You stand up and down, bending your knees to massage the lower back muscles.
Strengthening
And lastly, the “S” word. The word many of my clients are thoroughly tired of hearing about. The leg extensions pictured above are a quick and easy solution.
Most problems with the lower back will not be fixed by the quick and easy, so if you are considering fixing the lower back pain, these links have a more thorough explanation.
