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HEALTH & FITNESS

LIFTING TECHNIQUES YOU SHOULD FOLLOW TO AVOID INJURIES TO YOUR BACK
by Nicole Niemiec


According to the American Journal of Public Health, the 10 jobs with the highest prevalence of low back pain due to an injury at work are:

1.  Truck Drivers

2.  Construction Equipment and Heavy Machine Operators

3.  Construction Workers

4.  Janitorial and Building Maintenance Workers

5.  Firefighters

6.  Police Officers

7.  Heavy Equipment Mechanics

8.  Health-Care Therapists

9.  Doctors, Dentists, and Nurses (tie)

10. Farmers, Foresters, and Commercial Fishermen (tie)

Not surprisingly, most of these jobs involve heavy lifting, which puts strain on all areas of your back and can lead to permanent damage if not performed properly. Of course, just because your career does not fall into one of the above categories, doesn't mean that you don't risk injuring your back. Regardless of how much you use your back, you should take care of it.

Whenever you are using your back, you should remember the following techniques:


When Lifting:

-Keep the load close to your body.

-Bend your knees and hips.

-Tighten your stomach muscles when you lift (they help support your back).

-Lift with your legs and buttocks.

-Maintain your spine's natural curve.

-Avoid twisting as you lift.

When Twisting (such as when turning a valve):

-Kneel down on one knee.

-Maintain your spine's natural curve.

-Position yourself so you have the best possible leverage.

-Use your arms and legs to do the work, not your back.

When Bending:

-Kneel down on one knee.

-Maintain your spine's natural curve.

-Bend your knees and hips, not your back.

-When moving forward, move your whole body, not just your arms.

When Doing Repetitive Motions (motions you do over and over again)

-Keep the loads small.

-Turn your whole body instead of twisting.

-Get close to the load; don't reach and lift.

-Lift with your arms and legs, not your back.

-Tighten your stomach muscles to lift.

-Change positions frequently.

When Reaching:

-Reach only as high as is comfortable but don't stretch; use a stool if you need it.

-Test the weight of the load before lifting by pushing up on one corner.

-Let your arms and legs do the work, not your back.

-Tighten your stomach muscles as you lift.

Of course one of the best injury prevention tips for your back, is to have strong muscles in your back itself and also in your stomach. Strong stomach muscles help support your back and ease stress on your spine. The key to having strong stomach muscles is by doing sit-ups on a consistent basis -- lots of them!

If you have back pain, please see your doctor.