Wrist tendinitis and back pain are among the physical ailments that often affect new mothers, usually from the lifting and carrying required in caring for babies. To provide relief, a physical therapist in Japan has drawn up a parenting regimen that combines techniques from the Okinawan martial art of "kobujutsu" with daily movements and chores.
The approach focuses on easing the stress on certain body parts by distributing the burden and making use of the body's strength as a whole.
Shinichiro Okada, 42, first came up with the idea of applying tips and techniques gleaned from the Okinawan weapons system to nursing care when he was a caregiver and saw several colleagues quit as a result of back pain.