Hello everyone
Looking after grandchildren is one of those joys in life that can take its toll on the body, including running (or very fast walk-striding!) after them, picking them up, and generally moving differently and more often when they are around.
A few areas to work on to help make your time with the grandchildren even more enjoyable are muscle strength, balance, getting on and off the floor, and developing safe ways to lift.
Remaining strong (or becoming stronger) is important to help your body cope with the grandchildren. In particular, focusing on shoulder, abdominal, back and leg strength will help. Start with a few daily strengthening exercises targeting those areas specifically.
If you haven’t been on the floor for a while, trial getting up and down from there. Make sure there is someone around and a chair close by to help with getting up again. Also, try doing some balance exercises. A few examples are:
– stand upright and straight with your feet very close together
– try to balance on one leg – then try the other leg
– try walking on rough ground
– stand on one leg and kick the other leg forward, sideways and backwards.
Lifting children can be problematic for the back, shoulders and neck. Keep your back straight and bend from the hips and knees and avoid repeated bending.
Hope this helps
Deb
Grandmother and grandchild in park
https://loom.ly/o1hW6wA by senivpetro / Freepik
