Manchester Back Pain-Preventing Lifting Techniques
Lifting something off the ground appears to be a simple task for most people. It’s one we do every day mostly without a second thought. Clients at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries share these kinds of stories daily about how hard it is to pick something up off the ground or how reaching for a simple pencil up off the ground triggered the worst back pain. Our Manchester 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 suggestions in mind can potentially limit stress on the low back.
LIFTING TECHNIQUES
When it comes to posture, lifting is a renowned 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-documented. Squat lifting seems to be the one most report is optimal. One set of researchers discussed some odd findings though: squat lift training didn’t prevent low back pain and stoop lifting is not a risk factor for low back pain. How do these two findings reckon with proper lifting for back pain prevention and management? They suggested that the lifting posture that is proper for each person must be personalized as each lifting posture possesses its own biomechanical and kinematic patterns for muscle activation which make particular lifting postures better for particular 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 patient on the proper lifting technique appropriate for his/her body and lifting situation following the “calm tissue down, build tissue up, improve work capacity” system. (1) Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries typically looks at each of our Manchester chiropractic patients and offers ideas on managing and preventing back pain with exercise and other approaches.
A COUPLE TIPS ON LIFTING
There are a few methods that may support us all when lifting. A special lifting trick 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 while lifting items of 2 to 10 kg. Trunk flexion angles were significantly reduced. Compressive and anterior-posterior shear forces were significantly lower too contrasted with unsupported lifting techniques. (2) That is an easy lifting tip we know our Manchester chiropractic clients|we can all do! Lifting slowly is another idea that is said to lower loads on the lumbar spine. Stoop lifting had a greater 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) So slow down when lifting. Use your quads to squat lift. (If they’re not very strong, Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries has some exercises to strength them!)
CONTACT Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries
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 contributed to his relief.
Schedule your Manchester chiropractic appointment with Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries today. When effortless tasks like lifting objects off the floor become troublesome, know that Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries is here to help find a way to make them better and troublefree for you and your spine!
