When 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.

The 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.

The 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?

It’s okay, the truth is that you just need to be able to fit the sheets in the closet. This is what I suggest:

1. Find a comfortable standing position.
2. Stay relaxed.
3. 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.
4. Wrap your free arm around the sheet that is hanging in front of you just above your waist.
5. 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.
6. Wrap the sheet around your arms in this manner until it is completely “folded.”

I know it’s not pretty, but it’s done and it fits in the closet. As your back improves, you can re-introduce folding sheets to your activities. For now, just close your eyes and put it away in the closet.

Sweep the floor

You may be able to find shortcuts to folding laundry, but sweeping floors is definitely something for which there really are no shortcuts. I wish I knew for sure what makes sweeping floors so difficult. I guess because you’re slightly bent over, it’s hard to maintain correct posture when you’re sweeping, not to mention the slight rotation that movement requires while slightly bent over. All I know for sure is that it irritates an already sore back.

Fortunately, although it is irritating, it is not harmful. The secret to sweeping a floor is to stop and rest before you really start to feel your muscles tighten beyond the point of no return. Stop, even for a moment, and use some standing relaxation techniques.

But hey, you’re home. You don’t have to stand up. You can go sit and read a bit or lie on your bed for a bit and just relax. No one is judging you and you are doing what you can to stay active and in the game.

Another possibility is to use one of those dusters that would allow you to use one hand while pushing the duster. It’s easier to hold the pose and you’re not twisting your trunk while doing it. It’s good to change hands periodically while cleaning the floor. Also, just because you have one hand free doesn’t mean you can sweep and pick up at the same time. This can lead to real problems. Make this an exercise in moderation. Be good to yourself so that at the end of the day you have something left over for those people you are sweeping away, even if it is only for you.