Proper Lifting and Carrying Techniques

lifting and carrying 2There are many different issues that can occur with the spine and they may occur for a wide variety of reasons. In some cases, it may be blunt force trauma that occurs as a result of an automobile accident or perhaps a slip and fall accident. More than likely, however, the back pain that you are experiencing has resulted from improper lifting or carrying techniques. Understanding how to lift things properly and carry them can make quite a different in your ability to avoid serious problems with your spine.

First of all, you need to understand that your back is not something that should be used to lift with. The muscles and bones in your back can help with lifting but if you put the primary responsibility of lifting the load on the spine, you are going to end up hurting it. It is also important to understand that a back injury doesn't always occur immediately because of improper lifting. Each time you lift something improperly, it may end up injuring your back further eventually, it will catch up with you. Doing things right from the start is the way that you can avoid these problems.

lifting and carryingOne of the first things that you are going to hear when it comes to proper lifting techniques is lift with your knees. I can't stress the importance of that factor enough, because your legs are very strong but the muscles in your back are weak in comparison. When you crouch down to lift something up and keep your back align properly, it helps to avoid the unnatural and unnecessary pressure on your spine that could easily lead to problems. The same is also true when you are putting something back down again. Continue to use your legs as the primary method of lifting.

You should also never use two motions at one time, because that is what the bulk of spine injuries occur. If you are lifting something, lift it until you are standing erect and then you can begin moving. Many men will hurt their backs when they are lifting a tire off of a car, for example, because they tend to lift and twist at the same time. There's nothing wrong with twisting, nor is there anything wrong with lifting but when you do the two of them together, you have serious problems.

Finally, make sure that you are carrying things properly because it can alleviate some of the unnatural strain on your back. Keep heavy loads close to your body and make sure that you never lift something that is too heavy for you to handle. When you pay attention to the way that you lift and carry items, it is not only going to make it easier and more comfortable, it can help you to avoid serious issues with your back.