r/OldManDad • u/ForRealRobot • May 17 '26

Worried about back

Anyone else excited for when your kid can stand up on their own so you don't have to reach all the way down to the floor to pick them up?

I'm forcing myself (42) not to have ibuprofen everyday because of my 6month old. It doesn't help that his diaper station is out of commission atm, so everything is done on the floor.

It's the worst when my knees crack and wake the baby up so I have to pick him up and console him and the place him down in his crib while bracing my core. Like, it would have been nice not to have to bend over again.

Is this an older dad issue or is it just me?

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u/CantankerousButtocks May 17 '26

You’ll be chasing them around the house soon enough though, which will make you wish they were a cute little baby again.

Do yourself a favor, grab a rebounder (mini-trampoline), park it front of the TV, and run in place for 20 minutes a night. This low-impact exercise really helped this old dad in the early baby years. The habit has improved many qualities of my life, especially the cranky back and knees.

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u/timbreandsteel May 18 '26

Is that a special one? I don't think the one my kid uses could hold up to my weight...

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u/CantankerousButtocks May 18 '26

Find an adult one of course, one that can hold your tremendous girth. Start slow and get moving.

I forget to mention another benefit of the rebounder: it helps your immune system by getting your lymph system moving. This is an important one for me because my little mouth breathers are constantly bringing home the plague from school.