Easley Back Pain-Preventing Lifting Techniques
Lifting an object off the ground appears to be a simple task for most people. It’s a task we do every day mostly without question. Clients at Young Chiropractic share these types of stories daily about how hard it is to pick something up off the ground or how picking up a simple pencil up off the ground precipitated the worst back pain. Our Easley chiropractic patients tell us stories like this! Strengthening the quads with exercise as part of our chiropractic services, and lifting slowly and with a few tips in mind can help minimize stress on the spine.
LIFTING TECHNIQUES
When it comes to posture, lifting is a known risk factor for low back pain. Lifting techniques like the stoop/lifting with the back, squat/lifting with the legs, and semi-squat/a mix of the other two are well-studied. Squat lifting seems to be the one most report is optimal. One group of researchers stated some odd findings though: squat lift training did not stop low back pain and stoop lifting is not a risk factor for low back pain. How do these two points figure into proper lifting for back pain prevention and management? They proposed that the lifting posture right for each person must be individualized as each lifting posture has its own biomechanical and kinematic patterns for muscle activation which make certain lifting postures better for certain patients. Researchers explained that stoop lifting was more metabolically efficient and less challenging to the cardiopulmonary system. This set of researchers further suggested working with each individual client on the proper lifting technique suitable for his/her body and lifting situation using the “calm tissue down, build tissue up, improve work capacity” system. (1) Young Chiropractic typically looks at each of our Easley chiropractic patients and offers ideas on managing and preventing back pain with exercise and other approaches.
A COUPLE TIPS ON LIFTING
There are some methods that may support us all when lifting. A special lifting technique referred to as BATT (a braced arm to thigh, one-handed lifting method to pick up objects with the dominant hand) substantially decreased low back loading during lifting items of 2 to 10 kg. Trunk flexion angles were significantly decreased. Compressive and anterior-posterior shear forces were significantly lower as well compared with unsupported lifting techniques. (2) That is a simple lifting tip we know our Easley chiropractic clients|we can all do! Lifting slowly is another idea that is said to lower loads on the lumbar spinal elements. Stoop lifting had a larger lumbar spine lordosis range of motion and produced lower total and compressive lumbar loads than squat lifting (except at L5S1 where anterior shear loads were higher) and freestyle lifting. (3) Therefore slow down when lifting. Use your quads to squat lift. (If they’re not very strong, let’s talk about strengthening them!)
CONTACT Young Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses care of a man with a disc herniation among other issues for which The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management of spinal manipulation assisted in his relief.
Schedule your Easley chiropractic appointment with Young Chiropractic today. When effortless tasks like lifting objects off the floor become difficult, know that Young Chiropractic is ready to help find a way to make them better and troublefree for you and your spine!
