Save Your Back From Household Chores

Household chores, such as cleaning and doing laundry, can possibly be a common cause of pain and soreness.  They are mundane activities, but don’t underestimate them!  You are probably spending a good amount of time on household chores every week, and it can be a lot of work especially if you have a big family and house. 

It comes to household chores, I am lazy (in a smart way, I hope), so here are some personal tips. 

Laundry

I heard the same story from different people that they get back pain from doing laundry; lifting and carrying a heavy laundry basket for many times. 

Solution: Use a laundry basket/hamper with wheels.  There is no lifting, just pushing it with your fingers to the laundry room.  How simple is that?

Vacuuming

You don’t realize that vacuuming is an upper-body exercise.  Vacuuming carpet with a powerful suction vacuum cleaner requires good arm and upper body strength in order to “pull” the vacuum cleaner.  It’s likely you get sore in the arm and the back later.  You might find tender spots if you press the side of the ribs, too, if you only use the arm.    

Solution 1: Pulling is the hard part, so why not just keeping pushing forward?  In small areas and under the furniture, you have to pull it back.  Other than that, push forward, and when you reach the end, turn, and push again.  And also, try using the non-dominant hand.

Solution 2: Use a microfiber dust mop (the bigger the better) other than on the carpet.  Push, turn, and push.  It takes much less energy and time than vacuuming. 

Solution 3: Invest in a robot vacuum cleaner.  They use a sensor for dirt and navigate themselves from room to room even when you are out.  I don’t like spending too much time on cleaning the floor, so I may get one of these in the future! 

Solution 4: Hire a housekeeper if you can afford.

To save your back: Don't lift; wheel.  Push, not pull.  I hope this will make your housekeeping easier!

Front/Back Relationship

At massage school, the relationship between front and back of the body was emphasized from the beginning.  If you have back pain, pay attention to the front; the abdomen.  If the pain is in the upper back, work on the chest.  It is an amazing concept, and it has been so true.   

When I work on clients, I never forget the front/back relationship and always work on other than painful areas, but I almost forgot to apply it to myself!  Just a few days ago, I threw up in the evening (not food poisoning or stomach flu, thankfully), and I woke up next morning with the pain all over my back (mid-back, ribs, and low back).  First, I thought I slept too long, but if that happens, pain is normally limited to a specific area, not all over my back.  I massaged every possible trigger point in the back with a tennis ball and a Body Back Buddy and used a heat pack.  It got a little bit better for a while, but the pain came back.  I knew I was not doing right.  As a massage therapist, it was frustrating not to know what to do with my own pain.

Then, I remembered that distressed internal organs could cause pain in the back, so my attention shifted from the back to the stomach.  And finally, I remembered the trigger points and referred pain of the abdominal muscle (rectus abdominis), the “six-pack.”  This muscle plays a role in childbirth, vomiting, urination and defecation.

Trigger Points

Referred Pain in the Back

I started massaging the upper trigger points just below the ribcage.  There was definitely a tender spot in the right side.  I also massaged along the muscle side to side and the lower trigger points for low back pain.  Not long after, the pain subsided, and I finally felt comfortable.

This episode is self-anecdotal, but it definitely reinforced the importance of the front/back relationship. 

Tennis Ball Massage (2) – Low Back, Hip and Buttocks

If you have low back pain, you may feel it where the pelvis (illium) and the base of the spine (sacrum) meet – the sacroiliac (SI) joints. 

However, it doesn’t always mean that the joint is the cause of pain.  It is most likely the joint is irritated because of the tilt/twist of your pelvic structure.  A lot of muscles are attached to the pelvis, so if one (or more) of them gets tight pulling the structure one way or another, you feel pain in the SI joint.  Quite often, low back pain is actually originated in your buttocks.

Common trigger points for the low back pain in the buttocks are below the top ridge of the pelvis (iliac crest) toward the hip in the gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius). 

They don’t normally hurt themselves until you press on them, and they are surprisingly tender.  It’s effective to use a tennis ball to massage the sensitive spots than a pointy self-massage tool. 

If low back pain comes on after standing or walking, or you have sciatica, massage in the middle of the buttock (piriformis), especially at the edge of the sacrum and the top of the thighbone.  It could be very tender. 

Please read the guidelines for massage in the previous post.

I strongly recommend you receive a massage in the buttock area from a massage therapist.  If you are new to the idea, please read my posts FAQ: Does a massage therapist work on my buttocks? (with a video) and FAQ: Should I take off my underwear?.

FAQ: Does a massage therapist work on my buttocks?

When my clients have a lower back problem, I always work on their buttocks; gluteal muscles.  The area is very important to be addressed because there are many trigger points to relieve pain in the low back, hip, and thigh, piriformis syndrome (the symptoms similar to sciatica), and numbness in the leg.  Good massage therapists know the benefits of gluteal work and aren’t hesitant to work in the area.  I strongly recommend your buttocks be worked on if you have problems mentioned above.  I work on the area over the sheets if a client wears underwear.  I can’t apply smooth gliding strokes, but I can use compressions and other techniques, which are as effective as ones directly on the body.  However, if I work on the tissue directly, I would be able to feel the trigger points and adhesions more accurately, and the strokes would feel smoother to you. 

Here is an example video of how a massage therapist works on the buttocks area.  It's long and technical, so you can fast-forward it.  I don't do exactly the same way, but this will give you a general idea of how a massage is done. 

The important thing for you is to be comfortable and make the most out of your massage session.  Don’t feel pressured to agree on what you don’t feel like.  If your therapist is good, they never insist on their own agendas. 

FAQ: Should I take off my underwear?

This is probably the first question you may have before you get a massage for the first time.  I always tell my clients to undress to their level of comfort.  This means, if you are not comfortable taking off your bras, you can leave them on.  Massage sessions are for your comfort, which is more important for your relaxation than my convenience.  I can work around any garments left on.  I have worked on a lady with a tank top or undershirt.    

It is true, however, without undershirt or bras on, I can apply smooth, continuous gliding strokes to the body, which would feel more relaxing, if you are comfortable.  I get permission from clients to unhook the bras only when I work on the back, and put them back.  However, if you are not comfortable with this request, you should say no.  

Regarding underpants, I don’t mind if they are on or not.  Male clients tend to keep them on maybe because they don't want to embarrass me, but I am professional, so I won't be uncomfortable.  If clients wear boxers or briefs, I ask them to pull them up toward the hip bone when I work on their upper legs.  Without underpants on, I can apply continuous strokes up to the top of the thighbone and the buttocks to be able to address low back pain, sciatica, knee pain, and tight quadriceps, hamstrings, and IT bands (a thick band on the side of your thighs).  

When clients, whom I have seen some time, have sciatica or low back pain, and I think it will be more beneficial for them to receive work on their buttocks without underwear, I explain it to them and make sure if it will be totally comfortable for them.  I recommend you try without underpants on next time if you are completely comfortable with the idea.  

You might also want to read the related post "FAQ: Does a massage therapist work on my buttocks?" and watch the video. 

FYI - Draping is required in the state of Florida, so even if you are without underwear, the gluteal (buttock) cleft must be covered all the time, and only one side of the buttocks is undraped at a time.