To moms with infants, “tummy time” is a TikTok trend that involves laying baby awake on its chest for a few supervised minutes at a time. Advisable for infants that are at least 3 months old, it is said to strengthen a baby’s neck, shoulders, and back.
Like baby tummy time, adult tummy time, the exercise of lying on your stomach and propping yourself up with your forearms, helps improve posture by promoting spinal extension and strengthening your back and neck muscles.
Given tummy time’s benefits to baby, experts figured that tummy time can help adults too. “In adult tummy time, you lie on your stomach, prop yourself up with your forearms, and keep your neck aligned with your spine,” explains Ma. Elena Lourdes R. Tan, MD from top hospital in the Philippines, Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed). “This helps improve posture by promoting spinal extension and strengthening your back and neck muscles. It also relieves you of ‘tech neck’ or the strain you feel on your neck and shoulders from sitting hunched forward and staring down at a cellphone or computer.”
“Think of adult tummy time as the opposite of slouching and leaning forward while you sit for hours,” adds the MakatiMed health expert.
Is adult tummy time for you?
Although lying on your belly may seem easy, adult tummy time isn’t for everyone, says Dr. Tan. “If you have severe or chronic back pain, spinal stenosis, osteoporosis, or degenerative disc disease, skip adult tummy time until you get clearance from your physician. Certain health states, such as pregnant women, particularly those in their second and third trimesters, shouldn’t attempt it either, as do individuals who just underwent surgery may not be a target population for this exercise.”
Adult tummy time, step-by-step
Got the go signal from your doctor? Start slowly. Lie on your stomach on a sturdy surface like a mat on the floor. Prop yourself up with your forearms. Keep your shoulders relaxed, and make sure your neck is aligned with your spine and your abdomen engaged.
Hold the position for a few minutes, rest, then repeat until you’re strong enough to go longer. This, however, isn’t a test of endurance. “Staying in adult tummy time position for 30 minutes or more may do more harm than good,” warns Dr. Tan. “You could develop neck and back pain, which are the very things you were trying to treat. Stop when you feel a strain and discomfort from the position.”
No time for adult tummy time? Do these instead
You can still get the benefits of adult tummy time through other positions that promote good posture and ease the aches and pains of your back and neck tech.
“Looking up at the ceiling relieves neck strain and realigns your head with your spine,” says Dr. Tan. “Try wall angels: Stand straight and lean your back against a wall, making sure your head, shoulders, and pelvis are in contact are touching the wall. With your arms stretched to your sides, slowly raise them up and down as you would when you’re doing snow angels.”
“The simplest thing anyone can do is to take walking breaks every 1 to 2 hours pr when you start to feel stiffness or discomfort anywhere in the back while sitting behind a desk,” adds Dr. Tan. “This gets you out of that hunched position that’s responsible for your back and neck pain.”
For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph. Follow @IamMakatiMed on Facebook and Twitter.
