You knew you should have lifted the box correctly inside the house but you were rushing and didn't think that it was that heavy and now your back is in spasms and you can't move. This is where the idiom comes in "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Back pain is often caused by everyday bad habits that stress and strain your anatomy. Learning to lift correctly is not something that everyone learns how to do unless their dad was the moving man or a chiropractor.
Relearning how to lift and move items can help with back pain prevention and something that you want to pass onto your children. Below is a picture of the correct way to lift. Practice lifting a box when it is relatively light to make sure that you have the correct stance in place and then move on to heavier boxes as you feel more confident.
- Avoid twisting and turning motions when you lift. If you have to turn to place the object, step in the direction of the turn, don't just twist at the waist.
- Always bend at your knees, not your waist, when lifting anything heavier than 10 percent of your body weight (e.g. a child or heavy box).
- When lifting an object, plant your feet about 12-18 inches apart, kneel or squat in front of the object, and lift as you straighten up. Be sure to lift with the big muscles of your thighs, arms, and shoulders, not with your back.
- In some situations, it is difficult to lift correctly. Getting grocery bags out of the car is one such situation.
- The car bumper doesn't allow you to bend your knees. Bring the bag to you first and then lift carefully.
- When engaging in repetitive lifting, use good lifting form, take frequent breaks, and use equipment to help whenever possible.
- To avoid tripping, be sure your path is clear before you lift the item.
Don't forget to use the power of your legs to lift the heavy item and keep the item as close to your body as possible. If you have injured your back call you local chiropractor and he will tell you what you can do for immediate relief.
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