Discover why proper lifting mechanics are crucial for preventing injuries and increasing productivity. Learn key steps and expert advice to improve your lifting techniques and find out how physical and occupational therapy can help enhance your performance.
Why Lifting Right Matters
Lifting properly is crucial for staying safe and getting more done. Despite ongoing research and guidelines, lower back pain and injuries to muscles, bones, joints, and tendons continue to make up the most work-related injuries. Using proper lifting mechanics can greatly lower your chances of hurting your body and prevent losses in productivity. Knowing the right way to lift is key to a safer and smoother work routine.
The debate remains. For years there has been a debate around whether it’s better to use proper body mechanics and lifting techniques or rely on the body’s natural movements. While our bodies are built to handle lifting tasks with its natural curves and muscle flexibility, many people aren’t physically fit enough for efficient lifting. Still, it’s crucial to be practical and offer tools to minimize strain and improve how our bodies handle lifting, considering factors like lever arms and muscle force .
Easy Steps for Lifting Right
The human body is a well-designed machine, but even machines have limits. That’s why there are rules for lifting things to help make the most of your body’s abilities and keep you safe:
- Check out the environment where you’re lifting to spot any dangers, like slippery surfaces. Make sure there’s enough space, and know the amount of weight you’re attempting to move.
- Keep the weight close to your body when you lift to avoid straining your back and arms.
- Stand close to what you’re lifting and clear any obstacles around your feet. Keep your feet slightly wider than the object you are lifting.
- If you’re picking up something from the ground, bend your knees while keeping your back straight and use your leg muscles to lift. Remember, keeping your back straight doesn’t mean standing straight up; it’s more like bending at your hips.
- Use your core to keep your spine stable and try to straighten your elbows as you lift, using your body’s strength. Don’t rely too much on your arms. If you need to move the object to the side, turn your whole body instead of twisting your back.
- When lifting something to shoulder height or overhead, make sure you have a wide stance for support, engage your core muscles, and avoid arching your lower back too much.
- Finally, if even after following all these rules, you still can’t lift something safely, don’t be afraid to ask for help or use tools to make it easier. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Managing Pain During Lifting
Pain, as defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain, is an “unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.” When it comes to lifting things, pain can happen because of different reasons, like carrying too much weight, problems with how things are set up, or doing the same thing over and over. If pain stops your from finishing a task, it’s crucial to take a break. Sometimes this means stopping entirely, or it could mean doing less or taking more breaks. Most of the time, back pain gets better in about 10 to 14 days (about 2 weeks) with proper self-care. This includes resting, doing gentle stretching, paying attention to your posture, and using things like ice or heat packs for relief. Gentle stretching helps keep your muscles flexible and improves blood flow. Remember, pain is not a reason to avoid activity. Instead, it’s a sign to look at how you’re working, how you’re moving, and how much you’re lifting to stay safe and healthy.
Boosting Lifting Skills with Therapist Help
Physical and occupational therapists are experts in muscles and bones. They learn a lot about how the body works through studying, training, and their experiences. These therapists can teach you how to prevent injuries and stay healthy. If you get hurt, they can also help treat your injury. Sometimes they get special certifications in areas like making workspaces safer or preventing injuries. They’re often the go-to source for companies to check whether a workplace is safe and to help fix any problems.
When it comes to improving lifting mechanics, therapists can look at how you’re moving now and find ways to make it safer and easier. They might suggest exercises to make your muscles stronger or teach you better ways to lift. If you do get hurt, they use proven methods to help you heal. Ivy Rehab has a whole team dedicated to making sure therapists have the best training and tools to help both workers and employers stay safe and healthy.
Article By Paul Heim
Physical Therapy Integrations Specialist
Paul Heim is a Physical Therapist with over 36 years of experience in the workers compensation arena. His career has covered multiple settings, including acute care, home care, outpatient orthopedics, and neurologic care. Paul was a private practice owner and partner for 15 years before joining the team at Ivy Rehab and continues to enjoy sharing his knowledge and expertise and learning from his experiences and colleagues.
