Seattle Chiropractor Shares Proper Lifting Techniques

Hey Everyone, Dr. Zapata here at Emerald City Spinal Care in Seattle to share another Tip of the Week! Today, I’m going to be discussing 5 important tips on proper lifting technique. So, lets dive right in!

Many of you know how important it is to lift with your legs in order to prevent injury to your back. However, despite this common knowledge, many people who suffer from back pain do so due to improper lifting of heavy objects. So, let’s go over 5 tips on how to properly lift an object.

1. Keep your back straight. Any time you bend over to pick up any sort of object, you are applying a high amount of stress on your spine. Now, while the human spine is strong, it can be injured. That is why it is so important to keep your back straight while lifting.
2. Bend your knees. When lifting an object, you will want to bend your knees as though you are sitting in an imaginary chair. Then, make sure your head is above your shoulders and use your arms to grab the object. Then, extend your legs, keeping tip number one in mind, which is to keep your back straight!
3. Practice! Proper lifting technique sounds simple in theory, but as they say, “practice makes perfect”. I would encourage you to practice proper lifting technique because without practice, it is easy to fall back into old, poor lifting habits you may have picked up over the years.
4. Keep objects raised. The lower an object is, the more strain your body must endure in order to pick it up. Studies have shown that keeping objects at waist level prior to lifting them, coupled with proper lifting technique, it can exponentially reduce the amount of strain that occurs on your body.
5. Know your limits! Don’t try to be a hero. If you cannot comfortably lift an object by yourself, don’t hesitate to call in reinforcements.

That is it for this week! Thanks for reading, and I hope you find this information helpful. As a chiropractor in Seattle, I see people on a daily basis who come in due to back injuries sustained while trying to lift an object. Sometimes heavy, sometimes not. However, keeping in mind these tips and remembering the importance of proper lifting technique can help avoid many of the back injuries we see from lifting objects.

For all of us at Emerald City Spinal Care, thank and have an amazing week!

- Dr. Zapata and the Emerald City Spinal Care Team