HealthBeat: Occupational Health & Wellness News from MWorks & MFit
Safety & Ergonomics
Proper Lifting Techniques to Avoid Low Back Pain
Maria Schmidtke, MS, PT, UMHS MWorks Occupational Medicine Clinic & UMHS Spine Physical-Occupational Therapy
“Think before you lift.” This simple motto can help you and your employees avoid the infamous low back pain often seen in employees who don’t use proper lifting techniques.
Low back pain, which occurs in about 80% of adults, is also commonly caused by repetitive lifting and accidents like falls. Although 90% of episodes resolve within four weeks, low back pain is one of the most common reasons people miss work. It is usually caused by straining a ligament or muscle that is holding a vertebra in its proper position.
Some common lifting mistakes people make are bending their back instead of their legs or not bending their legs enough, twisting and turning as they’re lifting, and lifting objects that are too heavy. To avoid injury, follow these steps when lifting:
- Think before you lift; find the best position for your body.
- Keep the object you are lifting close to your body. If you lift things far from your body you are multiplying the force placed on your back.
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend from the knees and hips and try to keep your back straight.
- Tighten your stomach muscles when lifting.
- Lift with your legs when lifting something from the ground level.
- If you lift constantly, wear belts or back support.
- Get help when something is too heavy!
Exercising is also an important component to avoiding low back pain. Core strengthening exercises which work the abdominals and back muscles should be done along with exercises that strengthen the leg muscles.
Remember that even if you don’t do lifting at work, we are always lifting things, whether it is carrying grocery bags or bending over to lift the clothes out of the dryer. If you and your employees begin using proper lifting techniques now, you can avoid needless lower back pain in the future.
For more information on injury prevention and ergonomic services contact MWorks at 734-975-3028 or visit www.med.umich.edu/mworks/ot.htm.