Performance File #08 - Moving a Heavy Load Safely...

Maintaining the strength and flexibility of the back and its accessory muscles and joints (as discussed last month) are two of the three components of a healthy back maintenance program. The third component involves the use of proper lifting techniques when moving heavy objects around the workplace. Often, injuries occur because poor lifting techniques were used to move an object that, if lifted and moved properly, may not have precipitated an injury. This information “file” will provide you with some simple tips to use when lifting and moving heavy objects.

Use Your Head Before You Use Your Back!

Warm Up: If your job requires you to lift heavy objects routinely throughout the day, it is important to properly warm up your body by doing some simple stretching exercises in order to prepare your muscles and joints to handle the physical forcers involved in moving heavy items.

Test the Load: Before you attempt to move a heavy load, try to gauge the objects weight and your ability to handle the load by yourself by carefully lifting the corner or edge of the object. If the object is too heavy to move by yourself, can the load be divided into several smaller loads? If the object is too bulky, can the object be moved with the assistance of a hand-truck, push-cart, dolly, or with the assistance of another individual?

Clear a Path: Once you've decided how best to move the object, check to make sure you have a clear path in which to move. Make sure the walking path is clear of any obstructions and that the walking surface is clean and dry to help avoid slipping while carrying, pushing, or pulling the load. Checking the path firsthand could save you a great deal of aggravation, and pain, down the road.

Prepare the Destination: Before moving the object make sure you have a place cleared in which to place it. Whenever possible, store the object you’re moving at waist height. Avoid placing heavy objects above shoulder level or in areas that require you to reach forward more than arms length without bending at the waist.

Lifting an object off the floor:

1. Stand facing the object with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. This stance will provide the stability to execute the lift properly.
2. Bend at the knees while maintaining the natural curvature of your spine. DO NOT bend at the waist or round your back when preparing to lift the object.
3. Contract your abdominal muscles to help support your spine as you begin to lift the object using the power of your legs. Maintain an upright back posture as you lift the object. Keep the object as close to your body as possible while lifting and carrying it. If you need to change directions as you move the object, turn your entire body feet first. DO NOT twist at the waist as this motion significantly increases the load on your spine and could cause an injury.
4. When you are ready to set the object back down, remember to bend at the knees performing a squatting motion while keeping your back upright and the object as close to your body as possible. DO NOT bend at the waist or round your back while setting the object down.
   
   

Pushing and Pulling a Heavy Load: When using a cart or hand-truck to move a heavy load it is safer to push the load away from you rather than pull the load towards you. When pushing the load lean slightly forward using the power of your legs to get the cart moving. If you must pull a load, make sure your path is clear and have someone direct you as you pull the load evenly with both hands as close to your body as possible while facing the load squarely. Pulling a load behind you with one arm can cause you to strain your back.

Storing Items: When storing items in your warehouse or storage area, avoid stacking items higher than your shoulder level. Lifting heavy items above shoulder height could cause an injury. If you must stack items higher than shoulder high, use a sturdy stool or ladder in order to reach the items at or below shoulder level. Remember to always keep the object as close to your body as possible in order to reduce the strain placed on your lower back.

Have deliveries of heavy objects set on tables or shelves rather than on the floor: Where possible, ensure that heavy objects delivered to your storage facility are placed in a position that provides easy access, at waist height, for relocation. When storing items on a low shelf, keep the item as close to your body as possible, bend your knees while stepping back with one so that you can rest the object on one knee as you approach the floor.

An Ounce of Prevention: A serious back injury can haunt you for a long time and can change your life in ways you never dreamed possible. Consider the benefits of keeping your back strong and supple, and lift properly on and off the job to prevent injury. This is one area where an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure!

Performance File #07 - Stretching for Back Health...

Some of the most common back injuries occur when you pick up a relatively heavy object from the floor and move it to a higher level. Back injuries also can occur when you lift a lighter object or absorb a falling weight, where you twist your spine. Medical research has shown that a strong and supple back is more resistant to fatigue and to injury. These injuries are often caused by acute over-stress or by chronic overuse.

This article discusses the importance of spine flexibility and the Do's and Don'ts of proper stretching for a healthy back.

Why is back health important?

Any time that you twist or bend at the waist, you are putting a physical load on your spine and the muscles that support it. If the flexibility of your back and hamstring area is not good when you bend forward, when you bend to the side, or when you twist at the waist, the strain that you put on your spine and its muscles is greater. If the movement you make at the waist is quick or beyond your normal range of motion, your chances of back injury are much greater. If you stretch correctly and regularly, every movement that you do that involves your back will become easier. This is the reason that good back flexibility is important in reducing the chances of back injury in your job, as well as away from the job.
Some Basic Rules for SAFE and EFFECTIVE Stretching

There are five basic rules regarding stretching which you should keep in mind as you begin to focus on improving the flexibility of your spine.

1. Stretching exercises, if done correctly, should not be painful! If you are feeling pain during a stretch, you have gone too far beyond your normal range of motion for that exercise. Proper stretching will cause you to feel a good level of muscle tension and a little bit of a ‘burn’ but will keep you in the pain-free range of motion.
2. Stretching exercises must be performed gradually and progressively without jerking! You should NEVER bounce up and down during a stretch to try and extend your range of motion. Always do your stretch slowly and with complete control so that you do not risk an injury (muscle pull or spasm) during the exercise. This will ensure that your stretching routine is as effective as possible.
3. Each stretch should be "held" for 30 to 40 seconds to be most effective! If you only hold your stretched position for 5 to 10 seconds, you will not gain in flexibility. In order to see some real improvement in the suppleness of your spine and other joints, you must hold each stretch for 30 to 40 seconds while you consciously try to relax the muscles which normally tense up.
4. Do not hold your breath during the stretching exercise! Breath normally during your stretching exercises and avoid holding your breath. Try to be rhythmical (a steady pace) in your breathing as this will increase the feeling of relaxation which you will feel as you become more practiced in proper stretching techniques.
5. Stretching exercises should be done every day! There is no reason why you cannot set aside 15 minutes each day (perhaps while you are watching television or before you get out of bed in the morning) to complete your stretching routine.

An increase in flexibility of your spine will help to reduce the chances of suffering painful injuries to your back. As this is an area of importance within your physical conditioning regimen, we recommend that you invest in any number of excellent publications on this topic – such as the book titled “Stretching” by Bob and Jean Anderson (ISBN #0-936070-01-3) – to learn more about proper stretching technique and the various exercises you can use to build an effective stretching routine.