From biking and hiking to walking and jogging, today’sparents are keeping fit and bonding with their babies inthe process. With an array of products unheard of ageneration ago—like baby carriers, joggers and trail-ers—even the tiniest among us are enjoying the greatoutdoors. But while these items can make life easierand more enjoyable for both parent and child, they canbe the cause of pain and injury if not used properly.The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) urgesyou to exercise caution and good judgment while exer-cising with your baby.

BikingWhen biking with a child on board, use a trailer, arolling ride-along that hitches to the back end of abike. This is a safer option than a carrier, a “passen-ger” seat that sits directly on the bike, according to Dr.Scott Bautch of ACA’s Council on OccupationalHealth. Dr. Bautch cautions that carriers can decreasea bike’s stability, possibly causing it to topple.

To further ensure the child’s safety while biking, keepthe following tips in mind:

• Equip the trailor with a harness that can beplaced over the child’s body. The harnessshould be complicated enough that the childcannot unhook it or wiggle out of it.

• A screen that covers the front of the trailer willadd an extra line of protection against straypebbles and other flying objects.

• Be sure to select a trailer that has large, bicy-cle-style tires, which will add stability and easeto your ride.

• Protect your child’s head with a sturdy,adjustable helmet that can be sized to fit prop-erly. If the helmet rests too high, it will exposepart of the child’s head, leaving it susceptibleto injury.

• Bike only on smooth surfaces. Only an experi-enced rider should attempt to bike with a childon board at all. And even then, the rider shouldpractice with a ride-along trailer for two weeksbefore riding with a real child.

JoggingIf you wish to go for a jog and bring your child alongfor the ride, the baby jogger is your best option. Ababy jogger is a rolling pushcart that a parent can jogbehind, using handlebars to maneuver. Here are somerules of thumb to consider:

• Make sure the handlebars of the jogger arelarge and adjustable, to fit comfortably intoyour hands for complete control.

Healthy LivingPatient Information from the American Chiropractic Association

Tips for Outdoor Activities with Baby

Healthy LivingTips for Outdoor Activities with Baby

• Handbrakes and a locking mechanism are anecessity.

• Look for a jogger with a good shoulder harnessto keep the child secure.

• Large, bicycle-style tires offer more control andstability.

• A screen over the front of the jogger adds to itssafety by deflecting stray flying objects.

• Jog only on smooth surfaces.

Walking or HikingFor parents who prefer walking or hiking with their littleones, a backpack-style or front-side baby carrier couldbe for you. Dr. Bautch cautions, however, that there arerisks involved. “The cervical spine of a child less thanone year old is not fully developed. It is important atthat age that the head does not bob around. The back-pack-type carrier is not ideal because the parent can-not watch to make sure the child’s head is stable. Afront-side carrier is better for a very young child,”explains Dr. Bautch.

Dr. Bautch urges you to think about the following:• A backpack-style or front-side carrier decreas-

es a parent’s stability when walking or hiking.Get into shape before attempting to use one ofthese products.

• Since these carriers will change the feel ofwalking or hiking quite a bit, they should not beused by beginner walkers or hikers.

• If using a backpack-style or front-side babycarrier, make sure to select one with widestraps. This will help distribute the carrier’sweight evenly. The shoulder straps should fitcomfortably over the center of your collarbone.

• The carrier should include a harness to keepthe child stable.

• Once you place the child in the carrier, checkto make sure there is no bunching of materialagainst the child’s body, particularly on theback, buttocks and spine. Isolated, unevenpressure like this can produce pain.

Baby SlingsThe “baby sling” is becoming more popular for its ver-satility of positions and comfort. But if you wish to usea baby sling, keep in mind that it is intended only forvery young infants.

Follow these tips when using a baby sling:• A baby can become very hot inside the sling,

so be mindful of the temperature around you.Also, make certain the baby’s breathing is clearand unobstructed by the sling’s material.

• Never run or jog while carrying a baby in anybackpack-style carrier, front-side carrier orbaby sling. A baby’s body is not adjusted tothe cyclic pattern that is a part of running andjogging. This motion can do damage to thebaby’s neck, spine and/or brain.

Take Care of YourselfFinally, don’t forget about your own health and com-fort. When lifting a child to place him or her into a trail-er or jogger, exercise caution. Don’t bend from thewaist, but begin in a 3-point squat and implement atwo-stage lift that consists of 1) pulling the child up toyour chest and then 2) lifting straight up with your legmuscles. Stay as close to the car seat or trailer as pos-sible and place the child into it without reaching,stretching or twisting. The further the child is from yourbody, the more strain you will place on your spine andmusculoskeletal system.

For more information on preventionand wellness, or to find a doctor ofchiropractic near you, visit ACA’s web-site at www.acatoday.org/patients.

This patient information page is a public service of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association. Theinformation and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in most instances, but they are not asubstitute for a diagnosis by a specialist. For specific information concerning your health condition, consult yourdoctor of chiropractic. This page may be reproduced noncommercially by doctors of chiropractic and otherhealthcare professionals to educate patients. Any other reproduction is subject to ACA approval.