Tips on reducing strain on your body when doing household chores

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Repetitive stress injuries can be avoided by making simple adjustments to your daily routine.

Housewives, for instance, can change the way they carry groceries or wring clothes dry to reduce the musculoskeletal stress on their bodies. You can also reduce the strain by taking regular breaks, doing some stretching and paying attention to your posture.

"Try to change your posture every hour or so. This can involve just a quick stroll to the office pantry or the restroom," said Associate Professor Denny Lie, a senior consultant at the Singapore General Hospital's (SGH's) department of orthopaedics.

Ms Lin Ying Ying (pictured), a senior occupational therapist at SGH, demonstrates the better way to do common household chores.

CARRYING BAGS OF GROCERIES

Good: Distribute the load between more joints, using the larger joints in your shoulders and elbows.

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Bad: Using your hands to carry heavy grocery bags. This puts a lot of pressure on the small joints in the wrists.

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WRINGING A TOWEL

Good: Tie the wet towel to the water tap and twist to wring it dry.

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Bad: Wringing the towel with your hands puts stress on your wrists.

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POURING WATER FROM A KETTLE

Good: Use a ledge as a lever to tilt the kettle.

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Bad: Using your hands to grip and lift a kettle. This increases the risk of injury to the wrists.

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HANGING CLOTHES

Good: To dry clothes indoors, use a height-adjustable pole to hang them.

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Bad: Bending forward to put out a heavy pole of clothes to dry. This puts the back and upper limbs under a lot of stress, especially with heavy loads.

Written by Lester Wong for The Straits Times

All photos: The Straits Times