How To Reduce Physical Strain Behind The Chair
Hairstylists: Top Tips To Save You Years Of Physical Strain
The hard truth is this: The longevity of your career as a hairdresser will come down to the preventative care you take for your physical health. To help reduce daily wear and tear behind the chair, we’ve gathered tips from industry pros to lessen physical strain on your body. Below, you will learn:
- How to reduce blowdryer strain
- Proper shampoo bowl posture
- Ways to comfortably hold scissors
- 7 different exercises to release full-body tension
Ways To Improve Posture When Working Behind The Chair
1. How To Save Your Shoulders During A Blowout
Keep your arms down at your sides and lower your shoulders while blow-drying—here’s why from Saphira Hair International Educator Julian Normand (@jeweldoeshair). “Raising your arms will create more stress on your upper back and shoulders. This leads to pain and ultimately may limit how long you can comfortably work behind the chair,” he explains.
Press play to see Julian’s posture tips in action:
Video Credit: Instagram via @jeweldoeshair
2. Proper Shampoo-Bowl Posture: Try These 3 Tricks
With how many times you stop by the shampoo bowl a day, we know your back could use a little support. “Career longevity demands we pay attention to our back,” Redken Ambassador Sara Botsford (@sarabotsfordhair) explains. Save her tips for proper posture below—your back will thank you!
- Stand with your back straight and chest open
- Engage your core and slightly bend your knees
- Hinge at the hips when you lean forward to increase your reach versus hunching over with a rounded back
These three things will align your shoulders, allowing your legs to do the work while your core supports your back. Check out the difference below:
3. How To Use Your Scissors, Strain-Free
Remember to relax! This will reduce stress on your wrists, shoulders and elbows when cutting: “Don’t cut with your elbows elevated and out to the side,” Julian explains. ”Relax your body, stand with your feet square with your shoulders and drop the elbows down to your side.”
Pro Tip: “Use swivel shears to keep your wrist in a relaxed and comfortable position,” he adds.
Relieve shoulder, wrist and finger pain—Try ARC™ Scissors PHANTOM II Swivel!
Stretches You Can Do Today To Reduce Strain
4. Foam Roller Fitness: How To Relieve Back Pain Post-Shift
Still feeling sore after a long day behind the chair? Try Schwarzkopf Professional® Digital Artistic Team Member Carlos Rojas’ (@colorbycarlos) tension-relieving trick for when perfect posture isn’t enough:
- Step 1: Place the foam roller on the area of tension underneath your shoulder blades
- Step 2: Without letting your neck drop backward, slightly tuck your chin to your chest and flare your arms. Pro Tip: Keep your arms parallel to each other to give tight lateral muscles a stretch!
- Step 3: Settle into that stretch OR sway back and forth on the foam roller
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5. Full-Body Stretch For Stiffness
From hairdryers to scissors, we are constantly putting stress on our wrists and shoulders. Try salon suite owner Brooke Sinatra’s (@thelivedinstylist) three yoga-inspired stretches below for quick tension relief from head-to-toe:
- Release strain from blowouts and foiling: Make your wrist flat, anchor your elbow into your abdomen and use your opposite hand to push down on your fingers
- Relieve tension from scissor work: Relax your shoulders down, press your palms together and push down toward your belly
- Relax your arms, neck and chest at the same time: Place your hand against a wall behind you—then, look down toward the floor
Up Next: 4 Ways To Reduce Physical Strain When Blow-Drying
6. Head-To-Toe Mobility: Save This Quick Routine
Don’t have a lot of time? Perfect for daily repetition, try this three-step routine from Carlos to get a full-body stretch in less time (and click here to see how it’s done.)
- Wall Rainbows: Three sets of five per side
- Side Lying Thoracic Rotation: Three sets of 10 per side
- Half-Kneeling Forward Lunge to Hamstring Stretch: Three sets of five per side
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