Zager Chiropractic Services

One of the primary reasons people hurt their backs is because of poor lifting techniques – not necessarily the weight of the item. I cannot stress enough the number of patients who have come in to be treated by me, because of a lifting injury to their back. When questioned about the mechanism of the injury, they told me it was a light item (like a pencil or clipboard) that they just bent over to pick up. On further questioning, they told me that they bent over at the waist and that they were invariably twisted slightly or even a lot. For reference, the only worse position to be in when lifting something is, to lean back and twist while reaching for an item!

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There are three simple rules to remember when lifting anything:

1. Face the thing you are picking up

2. Bend at the knees to pick things up.

3. Keep things close to your body, near your center of gravity.

If you have a lot of things to carry (groceries, plants, books, etc.) don’t try to carry all of them at once. It is better to make more trips with less weight and less items to manage than it is to try and save yourself a few extra steps.

If you do a lot of lifting on a daily basis, you can wear a back brace, but understand that the brace is not there to help you lift heavier items. Rather when worn correctly with the double pulls used, it helps keep you from twisting and making stupid moves.

What to do when you hurt yourself.

1. 1. STOP what you are doing and take an assessment.
   2. Assessment

i. Overuse vs. acute injury: Acute injuries are typically ones with sharp pain versus overuse or chronic ones, which are more of an aching pain.

ii. Ligament vs. muscle injury

1. Ligaments hold the bones together. Ligament injuries are sprains. They are typically worse than strains. If someone else moves your joint (you are not using your muscles to move the joint) and there is pain, it is most likely a sprain.

2. Tendons hook the muscle to the bone and are a part of the muscle. Tendon or muscle injuries are strains.

1. 1. RICE – rest, ice, compression, elevation
   2. Stretches
   3. Heat/ice alternating – always end with ice. The first couple of days should be ice first. Five to ten minutes at a time. Make sure you don’t get frostbite! A frozen bag of peas works well, as does a wet dishtowel placed in the freezer for 15 minutes. For kids, a sponge cut in half and placed in a baggie and kept in the freezer.
   4. Mineral ice/icy-hot etc. These products can be used to help relieve sore muscles. You must be careful not to think that because the muscles feel better temporarily that you can overuse them again. Do not use these products with a heating pad or if you are diabetic.

Common activities and things to keep in mind

1. 1. Unloading groceries

i. Face your trunk

ii. Don’t lift too many bags at once (better to make more trips)

iii. On large items, hold them close to your chest (cases of water etc.)

1. 1. House cleaning

i. Face what you are cleaning

ii. Keep your supplies either next to you or just off to the side (don’t

1. 1. Weeding

i. Either weed on your knees or bend over with a hand or arm on one thigh

ii. Don’t over reach and twist

1. 1. Digging, shoveling, raking

i. Use the correct size shovel/tool for your size

ii. Alternate sides you are shoveling or raking from

iii. Try not to twist too much

Use more legs than back