Activities of daily living with back pain: folding clothes and sweeping floors
Website design By BotEap.comWhen I was teaching Back School, the two biggest housekeeping complaints were folding laundry and sweeping the floors. In many cases, the complainant was the father of young children. The first thing I tell these parents is that even very young children can fold their own clothes, even their sheets and towels. Children as young as 4 years old can do some simple folding tasks and can certainly help you fold clothes. Don’t worry, this is something that builds character.
Website design By BotEap.comThe main lesson to learn about all activities of daily living is to pay attention to your back while you work. You should only work until your back begins to feel tight, then stop for a short period and relax. It may be that you can spend very little time on each task or a part of each task, at least at first. Alright. Say to yourself, “It’s okay to only work up to my current limit. I’m still a good person.” When you are able to fully relax, when you are winding down, and even when you are working, you will be amazed at how quickly you recover. Relaxation is key.
Website design By BotEap.comThe biggest foldable clothes bugaboo for most people with low back pain is foldable sheets. My question to you is, do they really need to be expertly folded or do they just need to fit on that shelf in the clothes closet?
Website design By BotEap.comIt’s okay, the truth is that you just need to be able to fit the sheets in the closet. This is what I suggest:
- Find a comfortable standing position.
- Stay relaxed.
- Grasp the fitted top or bottom sheet in one corner and hold it in front of you, close to your body, with the corner at nose level.
- Wrap your free arm around the sheet that is hanging in front of you just above your waist.
- Move the corner of the sheet down around the arm that is at your waist as you move that arm up, winding it up like the action of a fishing reel.
- Wrap the sheet around your arms in this manner until it is completely “folded.”