Vancouver Back Pain-Preventing Lifting Techniques
Lifting something off the ground appears to be a simple task for most folks. It’s a task we do every day mostly without hesitation. Vancouver Disc Centers hears stories every day about how difficult it is to pick something up off the ground or how getting a simple pencil up off the ground triggered the worst back pain. Our Vancouver 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-studied. Squat lifting seems to be the one most report is optimal. One group of researchers shared some odd findings though: squat lift training did not stop low back pain and stoop lifting isn’t a risk factor for low back pain. How do these two points figure into 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 making 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 using the “calm tissue down, build tissue up, improve work capacity” system. (1) Vancouver Disc Centers usually looks at each of our Vancouver chiropractic patients and presents ideas on managing and preventing back pain with exercise and other approaches.
A COUPLE TIPS ON LIFTING
There are some methods that may help us all when lifting. A special lifting technique known as BATT (a braced arm to thigh, one-handed lifting method to retrieve 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 as well compared with unsupported lifting techniques. (2) That is an easy lifting tip we know our Vancouver chiropractic clients|we can all do! Another is lift slowly which reportedly lowered loads on the lumbar spinal elements. Stoop lifting had a larger lumbar spine lordosis range of motion and created lower total and compressive lumbar loads than squat lifting (except at L5S1 where anterior shear loads were greater) and freestyle lifting. (3) So slow down when lifting. Use your quads to squat lift. (If they are not very strong, let’s talk about strengthening them!)
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes care of a man with a disc herniation among other conditions for which The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management of spinal manipulation contributed to his relief.
Schedule your Vancouver chiropractic appointment with Vancouver Disc Centers today. When effortless tasks like lifting objects off the floor become difficult, know that Vancouver Disc Centers is ready to help find a way to make them better and easier for you and your spine!
