Maintaining proper posture is the best way to keep your back in good shape and thus to prevent back pain. This is not only true in sitting, standing and sleeping positions, but also applies while you are moving objects. Statistics show one of the common causes of back pain is injury to the spine caused by improperly lifting and moving of heavy objects. This is preventable once you follow the following steps whenever you need to move heavy objects.
Bend with your knees – When you need to bend and lift an object, make sure you bend with your knees.. Use your legs right and distribute the weight evenly. The correct procedure is to squat with your chest out forward and your buttocks jutting backward. This keeps your lower back in a neutral and safe position.
Keep the weight close – Make sure you keep the load close to your body whenever you need to carry and lift heavy objects. The farther the object is from your body, the more shifted your centre of gravity is.
Balance – Keep your load well balanced. If you can split your load into two and carry half in each hand, this would distribute load evenly and maintain your centre of gravity inside your body. If that is not possible, carry the object as close to centre of your body as possible.
Don’t twist – Your back may get seriously injured if you twist whilst lifting an object. Twisting creates too much pressure on your lower back’s structure.
Always push your load – You should always keep in mind that pushing the load is better than pulling it. Pulling strains your back much more than pushing does. Use your arms and legs to initiate the pushing. If you find that the object is too heavy to lift on your own, don’t risk your back. Use a trolley, ask the help of a friend or colleague or fetch the correct lifting equipment. Once your back is injured, it takes time to heal, and in many cases it would never be good as before.
Moving heavy objects in your job and sometimes in your daily life is unavoidable. If you attempt to move any object without considering its weight and following the correct procedures, your back is at the risk of serious injury. If you need to move and lift heavy objects frequently, it’s highly recommended to obtain an ergonomic back support belt to protect your lower back. These back supports come in all shapes and sizes, and reduce the strain on your back while lifting objects. It should be noted that these back support belt can’t 100% protect your back, and you should never lift or move heavy objects beyond your capacity.
Only when you understand basic lifting and bending techniques to avoid putting too much pressure on your lower back and you would be able to maintain your back in best condition. In addition to the above tips, following posture guidelines are also helpful for your back health.
Standing – Always keep one foot ahead of the other with your knees bent slightly. This reduce pressure on your lower back.
Sitting – To reduce strain on lower back to a minimum, sit with your hips slightly higher than knee level.
Reaching – Never reach for anything above shoulder level as over-reaching can lead to strains in your arms and back. Consider to use a stool.
We hope this article is helpful to you.
