Though it seems like a simple task, many get injured by lifting a heavy box the wrong way or lifting a box they thought would be light that wound up weighing much more than they expected. Luckily, there are a number of tips to keep your spine safe from injury while lifting a heavy object, and one of our doctors happens to know all about this.
Dr. Phillip Lavine, DC, our Doctors on Liens chiropractor in Simi Valley, released a quick tip explaining all about it. Please read on below for Dr. Lavine’s tips, and follow along with his video here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLcGSXGp5jN/
The main key to appropriately lifting a box or heavy object in a safe way is to protect your spine. And there are a few ways to protect your spine. First, it’s important to keep minimal pressure on your spinal disks, so avoid bending or twisting your spine, keeping it as straight as possible. This is where lifting from the legs (and not the lower back) comes up.
When lifting a heavy object, keep it as close to the body as possible. The farther out you hold the item, the more weight gets added to your spine and body. The closer it is to you, the easier it is on your body.
Once you have it in your arms, tilt your head up and keep your head and spine both straight and looking forward. As you go to place the object, be sure to turn your full body with it without twisting just a part of your back.
Lastly, weight testing the object is an important tool. It seems simple, but this really helps. Many injuries seen by Dr. Lavine come from patients lifting a heavy box they mistook for a lighter box.
Taking the right precautions when lifting can save you countless hours of treatment and rehabilitation. However, accidents still happen. So, if you’ve been injured lifting at work, be sure to check out our qualified list of medical professionals who work on a lien basis. And stay tuned from more quick tips from our Doctors on Liens doctors.
