Y’all. Not to be crude or anything, but carpal tunnel syndrome is about a female dog and a half.
Ditto back pain, neck pain, just ANY kind of pain caused by the repetition or extended holding of even the most non-intensive positions and actions. As someone who’s thrown out her back in her early 20s (yes, Internet Aunties, I mean for real, had to crawl to my phone, tears of pain thrown out”> I have kind of a vested interest in making sure that that never, EVER, EVER happens to me again.
So where do protective styles fit into this equation?
As far as heavier styles like box braids, microbraids, and bigger crochet twists are concerned, it’s pretty obvious for anyone who’s had these looks installed. They’re time intensive to put in and take out, and they’re… heavy. Even now, I don’t wear my braids up in a ponytail any higher than the middle of my ears, because I can’t handle the throbbing.
But, beauty takes pain right?
Ehhhhhhh, kind of. Beauty CAN be painful, it’s practically its own tradition, but like anything from braces, to scarification, to corsets, to heels, there is a way to do things safely. Especially when you’re tender headed like me. Here are a few ways to make your protective styles ergonomically friendly.
Take style breaks
I had a couple semesters of fencing in college, and the most important thing I ever heard aside from “If he hits your hand, it’s because it shouldn’t have been there” was “Practice makes PERMANENT.” Our bodies are as amazing as they are impractical–our brains train our muscles to remember how things feel and how to adjust for them. If you’re a serial installer, ie, someone that takes a heavy protective style down, just to instantly put it back up, you might be slowly molding your neck and upper back into a position it wasn’t meant to stay in.
Switch it up when you can—the best thing about our hair is how versatile it is!
Work that body
Building muscle and flexibility isn’t just good for your ongoing mental and physical health, it’s good for your aesthetics! I don’t mean that you need to have Michelle Obam-arms to be beautiful, I’m still over here rocking the bat wings myself. What I mean is ramping up your strength and stretch training will allow your muscles to keep up with the added weight of your protective styles and protect your spine throughout your ons and offs with them. Even if it’s only a few sets of situps and neck rolls in your bedroom every day, make sure you keep on keeping on! If you’re a professional braider or someone with a lot of kids with a lot of hair to take care of, make sure you’ve got a bean bag with you to flex those fingers. And if you CAN swing it? Try yoga, or flexibility classes that focus on holding poses. You may have to look a little harder for non-spiritual stretching, but I promise you can find something that works!
Fight the fire
I think I’ve gotten to the point that I have a bottle of Ibuprofen in every room of my house. It’s unfortunate that it’s necessary, but when you’re clenched and hurting, the fact that I could buy my weight in anti-inflammatories is a real blessing. Inflammation is like having an internal sunburn. Yes, it CAN get better with time, but if things keep smacking it, it’s going to keep causing trouble. And considering how many muscles and ligaments have to push and pull against each other in our bodies to do something as simple as smiling, you can bet your sore spots are being rubbed raw if you’re just leaving them to their own devices. You don’t need to power through everything curlies—nip that pain in the bud when it does come up and take that bitter pill.
PS, make sure you have a snack when you take a dose! Regular inflammatory medicine, even over-the-counter stuff, can hurt your stomach if they’re all that’s in it. Besides, who doesn’t love a little nosh now and again!
Have I ‘mommed’ you enough yet?
Let us know how you make sure your back’s good to go when your braids are in in the comments—the more tips the merrier!
