Paul Silovsky—physical therapist and owner of Rebound Physical Therapy—here to discuss safe lifting mechanics. It’s my utmost goal to help you protect your back and maintain the flexibility and strength to do the things you want to do.
Lower back pain is one of the top ailments treated by physical therapists, not just here at Rebound, but across the nation. Although our physical therapists regularly treat chronic and acute back pain, we believe the most important treatment is preventative. To understand how to prevent back pain and how to lift heavy objects safely, you first need to understand the structures in your body involved when lifting unsafely.
Common Injuries Caused by Improper Lifting
Herniated discs are one of the most common lower back injuries caused by lifting heavy objects repeatedly or in a single, improper lifting movement. Between each of your vertebrae are cushions—called “discs”—which act as soft barriers between the bones. This allows you to move, bend, and stretch comfortably. Over time, these discs can degenerate and break down. Or, with sudden movements, a disc may tear or get pressured out of alignment, causing the gel-like substance in the center of the disc to leak. When either of these two injuries occur, it puts pressure on the nerve roots that extend down the back and into the legs, causing discomfort, pain, or numbness.
Additionally, it is common for joints to degenerate when under continuous pressure or due to repeated movements. Because the muscular structures attached to the spine connect to the pelvis, and the pelvis connects the lower body, muscular injuries to the back affect much more than the originally injured muscle. It’s all interconnected. Your body is a complex, dynamic muscular system—if a muscle reduces in strength and mass due to an injury or atrophy, it may cause postural alignment issues, balance issues, and a loss of flexibility.
The Key to Lifting Heavy Objects Safely
Many of us naturally try to lift an object on the ground at a “square” stance, with our feet parallel to one another. However, you automatically put yourself at risk by starting in this position. The expert physical therapists at Rebound Physical Therapy suggest widening and “staggering” your stance (place one foot further forward than the other) as wide as is comfortable. With a wide stance, you reduce the risk of losing your balance and placing a strain on your back.
Before lifting, position yourself over the object, so the object is close to your center of gravity—around your belly button—and ensure you have a secure grip on the object. If the object is lower than your center of gravity, drop your hips and begin the lifting movement through the hips. Your spine does not need to be perfectly vertical or straight—it is okay to have a light curve in your lower back, as long as you lift from your hips, avoiding strain in your lower back.
Tips for Reaching and Pulling Safely
Have you ever reached into the trunk of your car to pull out a heavy grocery bag and felt a twinge in your back? Here’s how you can avoid this unnecessary strain. Refrain from reaching into your trunk and “flexing” your spine to pull an object out. Instead, if you are able, place a knee into the trunk of the car to stagger your stance and shift your weight off of your back. In this position, you are shifting your body and moving the weight through your hips, as opposed to pulling with your spine.
Finally, when you complete the lift or pull movement and have the object in your arms, remember to keep the object close to your body. When you are ready to set the object down, return to a staggered stance, and slowly lower the object by bending through your legs and hips.
That was a lot of information and nothing you should be expected to master on the first attempt. If you need help, the physical therapists at Rebound Physical Therapy are here to help. We support our patients with proper movement mechanics to ensure they have the flexibility and strength to do the things they want to do. We want to prevent you from herniating a disc, straining a muscle, and degenerating your spine.
We would love to get you back in action! Book your screening online here, or call 785-260-8714.
