Why does my back hurt more after getting on the floor and playing with my kids?

Back pain with floor play is usually caused by a combination of deconditioned core muscles, stiff spinal joints, and irritated lumbar discs. After long periods of sitting or less activity, your spine is not prepared for repeated bending, twisting, and getting up and down from the floor, so the joints and discs in your low back become overloaded and painful.

Is it normal for my back to hurt after lifting my child?

It is very common, but not "normal" or healthy. Lifting your child combines forward bending, rotation, and load in your arms, which increases pressure on the lumbar discs and joints—especially if you lift with rounded posture or from an awkward position. When the spine is stiff or deconditioned, this often creates sharp, catching, or aching low back pain afterward.

How do I know if my parenting-related back pain is a disc problem?

Disc-related pain often feels deep and sharp, may worsen with sitting, bending, or lifting, and can sometimes radiate into the hips, glutes, or legs. Numbness, tingling, or shooting pain down the leg can indicate nerve irritation from a lumbar disc. A focused exam with a chiropractor can help determine whether your symptoms are coming from the joints, discs, muscles, or a combination.

Will chiropractic care and spinal decompression help back pain from playing with my kids?

Yes, many parents respond very well to a combination of chiropractic adjustments, spinal or vertebral decompression, hydromassage, and a targeted exercise program. Adjustments restore joint motion, decompression reduces disc and nerve pressure, and hydromassage calms tight muscles. Together with strengthening and mobility work, this improves how your spine tolerates lifting, bending, and playing.

How long does it take before I can play with my kids without back pain again?

Most patients start noticing meaningful improvement within the first few visits as inflammation decreases and spinal motion improves. For many parents, a structured care plan over several weeks that includes adjustments, decompression, hydromassage, and home exercises is enough to significantly reduce pain and rebuild confidence with lifting and playing. Chronic or more severe disc problems may take longer and require ongoing strength and mobility work.

Why Playing With My Kids Hurts My Back

Simple anatomy diagram showing the lumbar spine with highlighted low back pain area

Spending quality time playing with your young kids should be fun, not painful. Yet many parents in Olathe find themselves wincing in discomfort after lifting their toddler, getting up off the floor, or running around the yard. If you’ve ever wondered why your back hurts just from playing with your kids, you’re not alone. As a chiropractor in Olathe, I routinely see parents whose back pain is triggered by these everyday movements, and the good news is that it’s both fixable and preventable with the right approach.

Many parents experience back pain while playing with their children because the spine, discs, and supporting muscles are suddenly asked to perform fast, unpredictable, athletic movements they haven’t been conditioned for. Over time, stiffness, weak stabilizing muscles, and limited joint mobility make simple play feel surprisingly demanding on the lower back.

Why this problem happens: When the spine loses mobility and the core stabilizers weaken from sitting, desk work, and day-to-day inactivity, bending, lifting, twisting, and getting up off the floor place excessive load on the lumbar joints and discs. These quick and awkward movements require strength, coordination, and joint motion that many adults haven’t trained in years, leading to muscle strain, joint irritation, or disc stress.

As we move less throughout adulthood, joints stiffen, the deep stabilizing muscles that protect your spine weaken, and the discs lose some of their natural hydration. Then—often without warning—you’re on the floor twisting to catch a falling toy, lifting a wiggly toddler, or sprinting across the yard, and your back simply isn’t prepared for the demand. Joints can lock up, lumbar discs can compress, and irritated nerves can trigger sharp or radiating pain. Parents often notice this most when bending forward repeatedly, quickly changing positions, carrying a child on one hip, or trying to get up from the floor without momentum. The combination of unpredictable movement plus a deconditioned spine creates the perfect storm for pain.

Common symptoms parents notice include dull low back aching after playing, sharp pain when standing up from the floor, sudden “grabbing” or muscle spasms, stiffness after sitting, tightness across the lower back or hips, pain that worsens when lifting a child, discomfort when twisting or turning quickly, tired or fatigued back muscles at the end of the day, and occasional radiating pain into the glutes or thighs. Many parents describe feeling “older than they are” or “out of shape for kid-level activity”—a sign that the spine and stabilizers need targeted support.

Clinical patterns I see in the office include pain after sitting and then trying to play on the floor, stiffness that improves once parents begin moving, pain when lifting a child into a car seat, difficulty standing upright after bending forward, low back tightness after carrying a child on one side, pain that increases with twisting, and discomfort that lessens with gentle movement or stretching. Others report headaches starting in the neck from constantly looking down while playing, or mid-back tension from being hunched on the floor.

Chiropractic care helps parents keep up with their kids by restoring proper motion to spinal joints, improving disc space mechanics, reducing nerve irritation, and relaxing protective muscle tension. Chiropractic adjustments improve mobility and alignment so your spine can move the way it’s designed to. Spinal decompression reduces pressure on irritated lumbar discs and helps restore hydration and flexibility. Hydromassage therapy calms tight muscles that have been overworking to compensate for stiff joints. A guided Exercise & Stretch Routine strengthens your core, improves flexibility, and teaches safer lifting and movement patterns—crucial for the demands of parenting.

Our treatment approach at Woodroof Chiropractic includes chiropractic adjustments, spinal/vertebral decompression, hydromassage, targeted strengthening, stretching routines, corrective exercise, posture coaching, and sleep recommendations. We also integrate education on lifting mechanics, floor-to-stand movement strategies, and joint-friendly ways to play with your kids without overloading your spine. Most patients begin noticing improvement within the first few visits.

Frequently asked questions include: Why does my back hurt more after getting on the floor with my kids? Should I see a chiropractor for this type of pain? How do I know if it’s a disc problem? Does spinal decompression help with parenting-related back pain? How long does it take before I can lift and play without discomfort? When is back pain from playing with my kids considered serious?

If you’re dealing with back pain while playing with your kids, we can help. Call our Olathe chiropractic office today at 913-735-6351 or click Schedule Your Visit to get started so you can move better, feel better, and enjoy pain-free playtime with your family.