Erin Brady thought it was no big deal to carry her then-13-month-old son Kyle across a parking lot so she could show him off to a friend.

But the next morning, her back hurt so much that the 37-year-old stay-at-home mother made an emergency visit to a chiropractor. Her husband, a computer programmer, took two days off from work to care for Kyle while his wife recovered.

“I know now not to push myself,” said Brady, of Owings Mills, Md., who is pregnant with their second child.

Kyle is 21 months old now and needs less carrying. But Brady is wary of getting hurt again. “I have a feeling this is something that is going to be a problem for a while,” she said.

It’s an unexpected problem for many parents — especially the growing number who are waiting longer to start their families.

Larger babies and the stress they cause to women’s bodies during birth also contribute, said Hollis Herman, a physical therapist and co-author of “How to Raise Children Without Breaking Your Back.”

Wonder how a mom or dad can get hurt just taking care of children? Let us count the ways:

Bending over to change diapers, putting kids in the car seat, in the stroller, in the high chair. Folding the stroller and hoisting it into the minivan. Twisting to separate tussling siblings. Giving piggyback rides. Stepping over the safety gate while carrying children and groceries. Nursing the baby on one side, day after day. Lifting the toddler out of his crib, carrying him on one hip while you twist to stir the spaghetti sauce. Hoisting the first-grader out of the car to keep from waking him up. Practicing baseball in the back yard with your Little Leaguer.

Statistics on the prevalence of parental injuries are hard to come by. But chiropractors, orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists say problems are common as the age of parents creeps up.

Susannah Wolf, 35, holds her 14-month-old son, Samuel Guack, while working in the kitchen at their North Baltimore home. He likes to be held. Wolf has a painful condition called De Quervain's syndrome in both hands. It is an inflammation of the sheath around the tendons to the thumb. She has had two cortisone shots to alleviate the pain and may have surgery.

“There are movements people make every day with a child, with an infant, that you don’t think about but done over and over again can cause overuse injuries,” said Alan Sokoloff, a Glen Burnie, Md., chiropractor.

The problems often start during pregnancy, when many women experience carpal tunnel syndrome and sciatica. Hormones weaken the joints and stretch ligaments. Weight gain throws the body off balance, stretches out the abdomen and weakens the back muscles.

Prolonged bed rest, often prescribed by doctors concerned about complications of pregnancy, also can reduce muscle strength.

“The pregnancy and all the missteps (women) can take during the pregnancy is all but inviting a problem in the lower back,” said Jerome McAndrews, a former president of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges and spokesman for the American Chiropractic Assn.

Susannah Wolf, 35, a stay-at-home mother, noticed pain in both wrists starting when her son, Samuel, was 5 months old. She’s twice received cortisone shots to relieve the symptoms. Doctors told her she has De Quervain’s syndrome — also known as “washerwoman’s sprain” — and that it often strikes new mothers.

Before she knew what was wrong, Wolf, of Cedarcroft, Md., said, “I was really scared that I wasn’t going to be able to care for him.” She has since tried to remember to support Samuel, now 14 months, from underneath to ease the stress on her wrists.

Chiropractor McAndrews said that while a parent might think to lift from the legs when picking up a heavy box, he or she might not take the same care when comforting a crying toddler. “It’s instantaneous, the way they deal with the child,” he said.

So how do you prevent the common injuries of child-rearing? And how do you find relief?

Experts say that a regular, balanced exercise program often can prevent or improve minor aches and pains.

For more serious problems, a visit to a professional may be required.