Everyday Ergonomics for Working Moms | Stop pain, fix biomechanics, improve function
Hey momma, are you exhausted from putting your daily aches and pins aside to care for everyone else? Do you struggle to make time for regular physical therapy, chiropractic or massage appointments for yourself? I’ve been there. Hi. I’m Amanda, a mom of three littles and a working physical therapist. I had my first baby during the last year of graduate school. I was new to motherhood and overwhelmed with my career journey. I remember being on the bed with my laptop while nursing a baby, juggling it all at once. I remember crying from mental exhaustion heightened by physical neck, shoulder and back pain. But I endlessly rocked my velcro baby anyway. It was lonely. It was uncomfortable. I needed to manage my pain but had no time to spare for MY OWN NEEDS. When my second child came, I had a toddler and a career to juggle. Still just as busy but a little bit wiser. This time I focused on MY body mechanics in all the things. The physical aches decreased with simple shifts to my positioning during nursing, cleaning, work and play. I can’t be the only one with aches and pains in motherhood. So here I am, live in your earbuds with all my recommendations and none of the timely appointments. In this podcast, I use my professional education, real patient experiences and personal mom journey to help you take care of yourself. I focus on body mechanics, ergonomics and easy do-anywhere exercises to fix common pain points for working moms. Grab all the pillows, let’s get comfy and love those babies with more joy and less pain.
Listen on:
Episodes
6 days ago
6 days ago
So many people, especially moms are working from home or from
Computers for a large part of the work day. Prolonged sitting can do a number on the neck, shoulders, upper back and more. Break up the static sitting with a quick stretch break.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Follow on THE BRAND NEW INSTAGRAM account @dr.amanda_ergocoach
Exercises Mentioned In Episode
Upper Trap Stretch
Prayer Stretch
Chin Tucks
Monday Mar 17, 2025
Monday Mar 17, 2025
Sciatica… what the heck even is it? The sciatic nerve gets such a bad rep. She’s the scapegoat for all back and leg pain. So in this episode I am giving a quick and dirty explanation of what the sciatic nerve is, who sciatica typically affects and what to do about it.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Follow on THE BRAND NEW INSTAGRAM account @dr.amanda_ergocoach
Exercises Mentioned In Episode
Sciatic Nerve Glides
Hamstring Stretch
Piriformis Stretch
Products Mentioned in Episode
McKenzie Lumbar Roll
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Monday Mar 10, 2025
If you have kids, you have laundry…. And you’re probably doing it most days or you’re chronically behind. Doing laundry load after load can take a toll on our bodies. In this episode I am giving tips to reduce the physical load of every load of laundry.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Monday Mar 03, 2025
Monday Mar 03, 2025
You should be exercising regularly. Pregnant or not. Exercise is critical to health. But also, some exercises can help prep you for a smoother, safer delivery and an easier postpartum. In this episode I discuss why exercise is important in pregnancy, what flags to avoid during workouts in pregnancy and postpartum and I am sharing my top 2 exercises for pregnancy to ease delivery. This is some serious need to know info for all the new and expecting moms.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Monday Feb 24, 2025
The infant carrier. The carseat. The heaviest thing you can carry fresh out of the delivery room. This thing goes everywhere for the first 3-12 months with you and baby. You click and connect the seat in and out of the car repeatedly every day. And you carry it all over town into every appointment, activity and errand. The repetition of poor lifting and carrying mechanics can take a toll on moms in the early baby days. In this episode I break down some alternatives and why you should pay attention to your mechanics everytime you pick up the baby seat.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Viral Chiropractor Video
Monday Feb 17, 2025
Monday Feb 17, 2025
This is a super special episode that is a little outside my normal exercises and ergonomic tips. Toy organization and constant tidying can be a major source of physical and mental stress for moms. I have been there and let me tell you, there is another way. In this episode I am spilling all my organizational tips to make it easy to stay consistent with tidy cues, empower kids to clean their own toys and help make toys accessible for easy play and clean up.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Links to Products Mentioned: door organizer, clear zipper bags, lego flat play and storage bag, rolling cart
Inspiring Influencers/Podcasters Mentioned: @mothercould instagram account, Systemize Your Life Podcast With Chelsi Jo
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Do you dread vacuuming?
Maybe you skip it completely.
If you are a mom, vacuuming might not seem like an optional chore. Between the kids dropping crumbs, the pets shedding and the dirty shoes trekking through the house, vacuuming is a nonnegotiable.
For so many women vacuuming can be a literal pain. Shoulder and back pain can take this simple task and make it unbearable.
If you can relate, I have ONE TIP to save you. This tip works with any and all vacuums to stop pain.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Monday Feb 03, 2025
Monday Feb 03, 2025
Do you roll or sprain your ankle often? Do you dread a misstep landing you back in urgent care or with a swollen ankle? Ankle sprains are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries seen in emergency rooms. Ankle stability is crucial to preventing ankle sprains. In this episode I explain what an ankle sprain is and how to improve ankle stability to prevent future sprains.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Link to balance surfaces: airex, dyna disc, bosu ball
Exercises mentioned in the episode:
-find 3 balance points standing flat footed
-20x heel raises (dual foot, single leg or 2 feet up and 1 foot down)
-balance max hold (tandem stance, single leg balance)
References:
“Epidemiology of Ankle Sprains and Chronic Ankle Instability” -Journal of Athletic Training
“Foot and Ankle -Sprained Ankle” -UCONN Health
Monday Jan 27, 2025
Monday Jan 27, 2025
Is your wrist or thumb killing you when lifting your kiddos? Are you suffering from mommy wrist? Mommy Wrist/Mommy Thumb aka De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is a common condition in new moms caused by repetitive motions causing strain on the tendons of the thumb. In this episode I explain what causes Mommy Wrist, what it is, how to treat it and how to prevent it.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Link to Thumb Spica Brace
Exercises mentioned in the episode:
-thumb abduction
-thumb extension
-wrist curls
-rubber band finger extensions
many can be found in this source
References:
“What is Mommy Wrist and How to Treat it” by Thomas Kim
“4 Tips for Preventing Mommy’s Thumb Pain” by Sheila M. Tenny
“De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis” by Physiopedia
Monday Jan 20, 2025
Monday Jan 20, 2025
SIT UP! Fix your posture! Have you heard this before? If you have you might have looked into solutions and come across posture correctors and braces ranging $30-$200. They’re uncomfortable and pricey and are they worth it? I don’t recommend them. In this episode I am teaching you how to fix your posture without bracing. Meaning, we are fixing your posture for good.
Hope you find this enlightening and that it gives you joy!
Until next time catch up with me in our free facebook community!
Interested in one-on-one ergonomic coaching? Book a call here
Exercises mentioned in the episode:
-chin tuck
-cat cow
-shoulder rolls backwards
-slouch over correct
-pec doorway stretch
-open books
-Rows, bent rows, upright rows, cable pull
-chest flies
-lat pull down
-pull up or pull up machine