When you think of a back injury, you probably imagine someone getting a sprain in their lower back while trying to lift something heavy. Back injuries from improper lifting are indeed common, and since back pain is one of the leading reasons for people to miss work and seek medical help, it’s in everybody’s interest to know how to prevent them. At the Carrollton chiropractic office of Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete), we can assist people with injured backs by providing everything from spinal adjustments to electric muscle stimulation, but we also wanted to pass along some advice about risk reduction to patients who are recovering or have been less active lately.
Whenever you have to move something, make sure you are wearing form-fitting clothing and that you remove any dangling jewelry that might get caught. Choose shoes that have traction and do some dynamic stretching before you pick up the object. Prop open the doors between it and your destination, and feel the object to determine its center of gravity before you lift it. Perhaps most importantly, lift by squatting down and then pushing up with your legs, not by bending your back and using the muscles connecting to your lumbar spine to pull yourself up.
As you walk, you’ll want to keep the object at chest level. Try to keep it at your midpoint so it’s equally supported by both your arms and shoulders. If you need to turn a corner, rotate your entire body; don’t twist your torso. When you arrive at your destination, lower the object slowly, again by squatting down, not bending over. If you do think you’ve pulled a muscle or sprained something, don’t hesitate to call our office for help. Most injuries are less harmful and more responsive to non-invasive treatments if they’re caught early.
Dr. Peter Lazarnick is located at 486 Bankhead Hwy, Carrollton, Georgia, 30117. To schedule an appointment, call 770-832-2226 or visit www.askdrpete.com.