Help with Washing bent at Waist

[lalepepper]

I apologize if this same question has been posted recently - I had trouble finding any similar questions, but I'm also sick and not exactly on my game!

Currently I wash standing up. My hair is only at APL, but I'm looking to get to HL again. When I was younger with WL/HL I tried washing bent at the waist, but didn't know the proper technique. After experiencing some obvious complications and horrible tangles from trying to flip my hair, I quit that real fast. Now that I'm growing out again, I'd like to give it a try, as it seems like a better way to get my scalp clean and ensure all of my hair is included in my routine.

I have shoulder and neck problems that make it difficult to keep my arms above my head for long. Unfortunately even a simple standing wash/condition routine can be trying depending on how bad things are that day. I know it will only get worse as my hair gets longer and heavier, and I don't want to have to start asking my husband for help. I recently saw a video on BBB brushing technique that also reviewed the bent at waist washing routine. I've been practicing the BBB technique for a few days now and it's working very well for my hair type. I'd used a BBB for a long time, but didn't ever bend over and brush all around like I now realize I could have been doing.

I'm considering trying the bent at waist method for my washing routine. I tend to wash 2-3 times per week, leave my conditioner in for 5-10 minutes, rinse, and follow up with some leave-in. Before giving it a try, I had a few questions for those of you that wash bent at waist:

How do you secure your hair up before getting in to the shower, and between steps? My hair is a bit too short/thick to get it up in to an easily clipped twistie bun.
Do you dry with a turbie twist or something similar?
Do you also detangle bent over?
Any tips to return to upright position with minimal tangles?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[lapushka]

How do you secure your hair up before getting in to the shower, and between steps? My hair is a bit too short/thick to get it up in to an easily clipped twistie bun.
Do you dry with a turbie twist or something similar?
Do you also detangle bent over?
Any tips to return to upright position with minimal tangles?

My hair is washed at the bathroom sink (yes even at classic - big sink), and I'm on a high stool. Hair is detangled right side up, then thrown forward (no issues with that). I have a self-made turbie for my long hair (bathtowel flipped into two lengthwise and sewn together on one side). Once hair comes out of the towel, it is detangled bent-over (I'm seated) split into two sections. Then head comes up slowly and the two sections of hair just glide up on either side (can't explain it better). Easy peasy.

[lalepepper]

My hair is washed at the bathroom sink (yes even at classic - big sink), and I'm on a high stool. Hair is detangled right side up, then thrown forward (no issues with that). I have a self-made turbie for my long hair (bathtowel flipped into two lengthwise and sewn together on one side). Once hair comes out of the towel, it is detangled bent-over (I'm seated) split into two sections. Then head comes up slowly and the two sections of hair just glide up on either side (can't explain it better). Easy peasy.

Thank you! Your last step seems to be very similar to how the video I watched recommended, and is similar to how I get everything back to upright after a BBB brushing. My hair isn't extremely tangle prone, but I don't think I was being as careful about detangling beforehand back then before trying to flip. I'll have to consider that home-made turbie once my hair gets a bit longer! What a great idea.

[Anje]

Is there a chance your arms can be strengthened over time, if you keep working with your hair or do some physical therapy? I ask because I know that when I started doing my hair (especially styles that take longer, like french braids), my arms would get very tired. With time and practice they've gotten much better, and I can do fairly complicated styles now (not that I do) without problems. But I only have minor rotator cuff issues and grinding following old sports injuries, and it all still responds well to strengthening.

Personally, I prefer washing upright. I washed upright when my hair was shoulder-length, and I wash upright now at classic. I find I get a lot of tangles when I wash bent forward, and I find it harder to rinse the top of my head. If anything, I think it tires my arms more, and it definitely tires my back to lean forward that long unsupported. Still, I'll describe what I do upright, in case there's anything there that you might want to try. Using a shower cap to hold the hair is my best trick. :)

I generally start a shower where I wash with my hair loose. Shampoo it briefly with some diluted shampoo, then rinse. Slather conditioner, mainly from the ears down. At that point, I wrap my hair around one hand and shove it in a plastic shower cap to get it out of the way. You should be able to do that at any length, and it keeps the conditioner from getting rinsed out. I do all my other showery things, then take off the shower cap and rinse it and my hair. Then I gather the hair in an unsecured pony at the nape of my neck, give it one twist to keep it together, and fold the length up over my head. (Doing this instead of leaning forward with loose hair helps keep it from tangling, and it eats up length so I don't have much for ends hanging out of my towel turban.) Wrap a towel around it turban-style, then redo that to put a dry spot against my head after a few minutes.

[lalepepper]

I forgot to mention a main reason I'm interested in trying the bent method is my head is usually a bit higher than the showerhead, unless I really luck out! I feel like it may be easier to bend over vs. the awkward stoop I've been working with.


Is there a chance your arms can be strengthened over time, if you keep working with your hair or do some physical therapy? I ask because I know that when I started doing my hair (especially styles that take longer, like french braids), my arms would get very tired. With time and practice they've gotten much better, and I can do fairly complicated styles now (not that I do) without problems. But I only have minor rotator cuff issues and grinding following old sports injuries, and it all still responds well to strengthening.

Well, I am in the process of trying to get my insurance company to approve more PT. I received it for this and have continued the exercises, but mobility continues to be my biggest challenge. I have the strength to maintain my arms above my head, but it tends to lead to a lot of pain later in the day if I push my limits. I have tourettes, and my main shoulder rolling tic has resulted in muscle imbalances. My muscles are in an almost constant state of tension due to cervical dystonia and trigger points are a problem. I get treatment which helps, but overall fatigue for those types of activities is still a problem.

Thanks for the rest of your post! The plastic shower cap is a great idea - I currently only have a terry-lined one for non-wash days. That method for drying seems very handy.

[Nique1202]

I forgot to mention a main reason I'm interested in trying the bent method is my head is usually a bit higher than the showerhead, unless I really luck out! I feel like it may be easier to bend over vs. the awkward stoop I've been working with.

Usually higher than the showerhead, but not always? Do you often use different showers, or am I missing something here?

Whether or not you continue washing bent at the waist, I highly recommend getting a handheld shower head if you possibly can. Especially if you plan to wash bent at the waist, really, having the full water pressure in a handheld shower head instead of having to dunk your head under a faucet (which is often so close to the wall it's hard to get some spots) or rely on the very light shower spray near the bottom of the tub will definitely help your hair to feel cleaner. I wash my hair standing up, but the handheld shower head also makes rinsing a lot faster for me, especially using one with a "massage" setting (one thick rope of water, or water spraying out of fewer holes to make it a stronger spray) instead of the regular spread-out spray, to really get right down to my scalp immediately. You can get them as permanent shower heads (like this (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/drive-medical-3-option-showerhead/207466?categoryId=13481)) or as movable and temporary attachments to the faucet (like this (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/62085-versa-spray-handheld-shower.html)) and they don't have to be very expensive to work well. I think I paid $25 for mine and it's a dream.

[Anje]

The easy solution to a low showerhead is to install a handheld shower. (You can absolutely put one of those in a rented apartment. Just hold onto the old shower head to put it back on when you leave.) They normally have a holder that raises the level of the shower several inches, like this (http://www.finestshower.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/handheld-shower-head.jpg). That was enough in my house, which was obviously built by short people!

If you need it higher still, because your place was made for extra-short people or because you're extra-tall, you can get a secondary shower wall mounting thingy for a handheld shower and stick it at whatever level you need. The one I picked up for my husband was stick-on, but I'm pretty sure you can get ones that would mount with a suction cup, too.

[lalepepper]

The easy solution to a low showerhead is to install a handheld shower. (You can absolutely put one of those in a rented apartment. Just hold onto the old shower head to put it back on when you leave.) They normally have a holder that raises the level of the shower several inches, like this (http://www.finestshower.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/handheld-shower-head.jpg). That was enough in my house, which was obviously built by short people!

If you need it higher still, because your place was made for extra-short people or because you're extra-tall, you can get a secondary shower wall mounting thingy for a handheld shower and stick it at whatever level you need. The one I picked up for my husband was stick-on, but I'm pretty sure you can get ones that would mount with a suction cup, too.

Yeah, it was definitely better when we had the handheld one mounted. It was taken off for a recent remodel and never put back up. I'll see if I can put it back, as long as I didn't bring it up to my parents' place on our last trip. We'll be moving back to my hometown within a few months, hopefully. The only draw back to having it was we're renting in a cape cod style home, and of course the ceiling slant takes up about 1/2 of the shower space - I'm not incredibly tall at 6', but just enough to be bothered by some things!

[lalepepper]

Usually higher than the showerhead, but not always? Do you often use different showers, or am I missing something here?

Well, I tend to shower in my own shower, but at the gym or at my parents' house the showerhead height isn't a concern.
I'm going to have to see if I still have the mounted one we had before. Washing has been more of a pain recently and I didn't even make the connection that I had removed it for a remodel recently. Thank you both for reminding me!

[spidermom]

I often wash my hair in the bent forward position. I comb and brush it in that position first, then tie a knot in it so I can stand upright to get into the shower, then undo the knot to wash, vinegar solution soak, and condition. Then I tie it into another knot to finish my shower. Sometimes the knot slithers out and my hair falls. Sometimes detangling is a bit of a pain, but meh. I can add a bit of CHI Silk Infusion if I need it for slip and ease in combing out.

[hypersensitive]

When your hair gets really long, like classic to knee, the weight of your wet hair makes your neck and back work harder. I plop my wet hair then carefully stand straight and detangling by shaking gently with my fingers. I don't touch it until it's mostly dry and then completely detangling with a wide tooth comb. Ditto what others have said about the handheld.

[lalepepper]

Just wanted to provide an update and thank everyone again for their suggestions. Unfortunately the hand held was transported back to my parents' house, but we'll be moving within the next few months anyway.

I've done 3 washes bent at waist and washing my hair is a lot easier this way. I have also noticed that my hair has a lot more body at the root. It is easier to get the shampoo worked in and to fully rinse everything compared to standing. I'll keep with it for now, as I'm loving the results.

[spidermom]

My favorite thing about the bent forward position is that I can get conditioner on my top-most layer of hair (the canopy) without getting it on my scalp. My oily scalp does not respond well to conditioner.

I forgot to mention that you can also use a large claw clip to hold your hair on top of your head instead of my knot method. I no longer have a claw clip big and strong enough to hold all my heavy wet hair.