6 Ways Self-Love Will Help You Crush Your Goals
From breaking free of external validation to creating joy-based goals, discover a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.
Sitting Pretty
The demands of the job put nail techs at risk of developing chronic pain in their shoulders and back. Learn how proper posture can combat the risk by reducing muscle strain and fatigue.
by Staff
December 1, 2013
Manicure
3 min to read
Manicure
Shoulders
Don’t: Lean on your elbow as you apply product, shape nails, or polish. This raises the shoulder and tires the strained muscles.
Do: Sit with both feet on the ground and body weight balanced on the ischial tuberosity (butt bones). Keep shoulders straight and core engaged without straining the neck forward as you work. If you need to get closer to the client’s nails, use an elevated hand rest or bend the whole body forward without rolling or hunching the shoulders.
Lower Back
Don’t: Perch at the edge of your chair or lean forward to get closer to the client’s nails. This offers no lower back support and increases muscle fatigue.
Do: Find a chair with good lumbar support and work at a distance that allows you to have both feet on the floor. Wheel yourself forward rather than bending yourself closer.
Hips
Don’t: Twist your body and cross your legs as you work. The twisted spine and compressed leg will increase hip and back pain.
Do: Sit straight, with shoulders forward. Engage your core and straighten your shoulders and back. Keep hips facing the client with feet on the floor. If necessary, purchase a desk with a cutout that allows you to sit straight in your chair, but to still work on the client’s hands from an angle.
Wrist
Don’t: Bear the weight of the client’s hand and arm by suspending the hand during nail services.
Do: Support the client’s hand to reduce strain on your wrists and shoulders. You can choose a product such as the Wrist Assist or the Pampered Perch, or create your own solution, such as a small, firm pillow that elevates the client’s hand while keeping it in a limp, relaxed position.
Pedicure
Neck
Don’t: Stretch the neck forward to get a close view of the toes and feet. This creates enormous stress on the muscles of the neck and shoulders.
Do: Elevate clients’ feet with a footrest and get an adjustable pedi stool for yourself. The height of the footrest and the height of the stool can be adjusted to bring the client’s foot to the correct height during different stages of the service.
Upper Back and Shoulders
Don’t: Use your own strength to support the weight of a client’s foot. Don’t round the upper body over the toes and feet to get closer to the client. Both put pressure on the muscles between the shoulder blades. Plus, rounded shoulders reduce your ability to open your chest fully when you breathe.
Do: Depend on the footrest to not only bring the foot to a workable height, but also to bear the weight of the foot. You should always be in a position where your shoulders and upper back are straight.
Feet
Your posture will be compromised if any part of the pedicure area restricts your feet and legs. Feet should be flat on the floor, and legs should be able to maneuver freely around the footrest and tub.
Lower Back
Don’t: Perch at the edge of your chair or lean forward to get closer to the client’s nails. This offers no lower back support and increases muscle fatigue.
Do: Find a chair with good lumbar support and work at a distance that allows you to have both feet on the floor. Wheel yourself forward rather than bending yourself closer.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Wellness
The Invisible Hazard in Every Nail Salon and How to Fight It
From acrylic monomers to airborne bio-dust, the air inside a nail salon carries risks most professionals never see coming. Aerovex Systems reveals the source-capture and room-purification strategies that are setting a new standard for salon safety.
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
Nail Safety Council Warns Holiday Shoppers About Toxic 'Magic' Gel Polish Removers
Products marketed as 'magic' or 'burst' gel removers may contain methylene chloride, a federally banned, highly toxic chemical.
How Beauty Pros Can Prevent Pain: Somatic Movement for Career Longevity
Working in beauty doesn’t have to hurt. Learn how Somatic Movement helps hairstylists, lash artists, and other beauty pros release tension, improve posture, and extend their careers.
Spa Day, Safe Day: Stop Fungal Infections in Their Tracks
As a spa or salon professional, your clients expect more than just beauty—they expect safety, hygiene, and peace of mind. Fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus are more common than you think, especially in environments where tools and footbaths are reused without proper sanitation. This blog covers how to stop these issues before they start, using proven infection prevention strategies for salons and spas.
Federal Research on Nail Salon Safety Concludes Due to Budget Reductions
A federal initiative aimed at studying chemical exposure in nail salons has ended due to staffing and budget changes. Here’s what the project set out to do—and what its conclusion means for salon professionals.
by Anne Moratto
Opinion: What You Need to Know About Pedicure Safety
For many people, a pedicure is a relaxing beauty ritual. But what most don’t realize is that this simple service, if done without proper hygiene and sanitation, can cause serious infections and long-term health issues.
Onycholysis: What Nail Pros Should Know About Nail Separation
Onycholysis is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. While it may look painful, it typically isn’t—at least not at first. But without proper care, this common nail disorder can lead to infections, deformities, and long-term damage.
What to Say--or Not Say--to Someone Grieving
Mckenzie Kool, Psychologist, MC, RPsych provides us with guidance on what may or not be helpful in speaking with someone who has suffered a significant loss.
Protecting Your Clients From Viral Infections
Clients come to you to feel their best—not leave with a viral souvenir. Warts and cold sores can spread fast in busy salons, but a few smart habits make all the difference. Let’s talk about what’s really lurking in your salon (and how to kick it to the curb).
Beauty Professionals, It's Time to Take the Green Pledge
As Earth Day approaches, The Green Beauty Community Foundation and the Green Spa Network invite beauty pros to step forward and embrace sustainability through the Green Pledge--a powerful initiative designed by and for beauty industry leaders.
How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine's Day
Don’t cancel Valentine’s Day altogether, urges Jill Palmquist. Instead, think of it as a (frilly, flowery, Champagne-bubbly) wake-up call to fall deeply in love with your own life.
Temporary Burnout or Time to Hang Up the Shears?
Life coach and Culture Ambassador of Sam Villa, Andrew Carruthers, outlines how to tell if your burnout is temporary - or if it's time to make a bigger career change.
Nail Care and Cancer Treatment: 6 Tips for a Safe Nail Service
Cancer treatment can create very specific challenges for your guest when it comes to hair, skin, and also nails. Here are some tips for working with your salon client who is going through cancer treatment to help you provide a relaxing, enjoyable, and also safe experience.
Sun Patch Protects Hands from Sun Damage
For those clients concerned about exposure from UV lamps, the Sun Patch might be a solution. Sun Patches are waterproof, reusable (up to 10 wears) block 98% of UVA/UVB rays, and maintain their UPF 50+ rating all day long.
by Anne Moratto
The Nail Doctor: Onycholysis, or Nail Separation, Has Different Varieties
One of the most common conditions that affects the nail is onycholysis, which is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. Onycholysis occurs as a result of or along with a great variety of nail traumas and disorders. Probably the most common cause of onycholysis is a fungal infection of the nail.
Standing Stretches for Physical Longevity
Hairdressing is a physically taxing career integrating simple stretches into your daily routine can reduce the strain repetitive motion puts on your body, help you stay flexible and strong and eventually prolong your career.