The Physical Therapist Guide to Less Painful Parenting

Apply practical lifting and bending techniques with proper form to manage the extra weight of kids, reducing stress and compensatory movements during crib lifts and toy cleanup.

Build a foundation from the ground up by engaging the feet, arches, hips, and glutes, bracing the core for safe lifting and daily movement with a neutral spine.

Learn the hip hinge deadlift to lift your child safely, engage your core and glutes, keep a stable spine, and apply the technique to daily parenting tasks.

Learn how the unilateral deadlift strengthens hip stability while keeping a straight spine, hinging at the hips, to protect the low back when lifting light objects or toys.

Master squat technique to move heavy items safely by keeping your center of mass near the spine, hinging at the hips, and lifting with a strong core and glutes.

Build upper body strength with bicep curls and basic resistance band moves to support holding a heavy child, reduce back and hip strain, and improve long-term comfort.

Practice a quick one-minute workout to build a solid foundation—feet rooted, glutes tight, core engaged, shoulders down and back, chin tucked—and apply deadlift and squat movements to lifting your kids.

Model the behaviors you want to see by embracing an active, healthy lifestyle and introducing kids to exercise, helping them learn through observation even when they don't listen.

Learn practical, body-friendly techniques to move and handle kids with minimal strain, from car seats to diaper changes and laundry, using general principles to reduce pain.

Master safe car seat transfers by maintaining a stable center of mass, using hip hinge and core stability, and keeping the seat close to your body.

Adjust bath time to protect your back by keeping your center of mass near the tub, kneeling on a pad, or sitting on a stool to reduce bending.

Learn safe laundry lifting techniques by using deadlift and squat motions, keeping the back neutral and hips back, avoiding twisting, and adapting to different washer setups.

Learn to carry a child for long periods by maintaining neutral hips and strong hip stability, alternating sides, and keeping the child close to your body to reduce strain.

Use a hip hinge deadlift to lift your child in and out of the crib with a straight back and engaged glutes; optionally add a sturdy step stool for height.

Learn how to wear baby carriers by stabilizing your center of mass to reduce spine strain. Alternate front, back, and side carries and keep your baby close to reduce fatigue.

Apply techniques to protect the spine by keeping the center of mass near the lumbar spine and using squats, deadlifts, and unilateral deadlifts to adapt daily tasks and reduce stress.

Make the most of time with kids by weaving balance exercises into daily routines, such as a single-leg stance while brushing teeth with eyes closed to challenge stability.

Increase daily activity by turning every chair transition into a squat, focusing on proper form, squeezing the glutes, and building your foundation and strength for parenting tasks.

Strengthen your calves with heel raises to reduce stress on the knees, hips, and back during running and stairs, and use eccentric calf raises during standing to build calf strength.

Build arm strength and reduce stress in other areas while lifting and moving kids by engaging the shoulder complex, pulling the shoulder blades down and back through a basic row.

Encourage kids' movement by getting creative with fitness activities, from bear crawls to monkey bar pull-ups and frog hops, tailoring fun workouts to skill level and goals.

Balance long work hours and parenting by rethinking desk setup and daily movement to reduce sedentary strain and feel better throughout the day.

Cultivate posture and rest opportunities throughout the day to relieve overworked low back muscles by standing tall, pulling shoulders back, and using floor or foam roller stretches.

Raise your phone to reduce the looking-down posture and straighten your spine, easing neck and low-back stress. Enlist family and friends to remind you to keep your head up.

Help newish parents work smarter by optimizing their desk setup, moving more, and maintaining posture with standing options, eye-level monitor setups, neutral wrists, and regular breaks.

Boost focus and calf strength with standing-desk workouts by performing calf raises, chair-assisted squats, and 30-second single-leg balance in short bursts every 20 minutes at work.

Prioritize self-care to better care for others, build essential daily habits, and help you and your kids feel good—a win for everyone; email us with questions.

Join a family-friendly workout that blends glute bridges, squats, deadlifts, mountain climbers, and push-ups with your little one, emphasizing safety, modifications, and lifting your kid safely.

Join the powerful parent club as they train for the Parenthood Olympics, mastering kettlebell lifts and baby carries to avoid unnecessary pain and move with strength.

Learn to train with kettlebell weight to strengthen the body for lifting and managing kids, using warm-ups, farmer carries, squats, deadlifts, and swings while prioritizing safety and progressive overload.

Explore a laundry basket workout to perform chest presses, squats, and deadlifts, using counterbalance and one-arm variety for a practical home strength session.

Explore creative at-home workouts using improvised battle ropes with a comforter, including walkouts and timed sets up to 30 seconds, tailored for new parents.

Strengthen your hips with chair hip thrusters demonstrated for busy parents, focusing on safe form, controlled reps, and avoiding sliding off the chair.

Use a foam roller as a self massage tool to relax muscles, regulate the nervous system, and improve thoracic extension, hip mobility, and breathing for better daily posture.