New York City Back Pain-Preventing Lifting Techniques
Lifting something off the ground seems like a simple task for most people. It’s one we do every day typically without hesitation. Rosenberg Wellness Center hears stories daily about how difficult 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 New York City 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 hints in mind can potentially limit stress on the spine.
LIFTING TECHNIQUES
When it comes to posture, lifting is a notorious 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 group of researchers stated some odd findings though: squat lift training did not prevent low back pain and stoop lifting is not a risk factor for low back pain. How do these two points figure into suitable lifting for back pain prevention and management? They suggested that the lifting posture right for each person must be individualized 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 also suggested working with each individual client on the proper lifting technique suitable for his/her body and lifting situation using the “calm tissue down, build tissue up, improve work capacity” system. (1) Rosenberg Wellness Center typically looks at each of our New York City chiropractic patients and presents ideas on managing and preventing back pain with exercise and other approaches.
A COUPLE TIPS ON LIFTING
There are some tips-and-tricks that may support us all when lifting. A special lifting trick 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 decreased. Compressive and anterior-posterior shear forces were significantly lower as well compared with unsupported lifting techniques. (2) That is a simple lifting tip we know our New York City chiropractic clients|we can all do! Lifting slowly is another idea that reportedly lowered loads on the lumbar spinal elements. Stoop lifting had a larger 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 greater) and freestyle lifting. (3) So slow down when lifting. Use your quads to squat lift. (If they are not very strong, Rosenberg Wellness Center has some exercises to strength them!)
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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 assisted in his relief.
Schedule your New York City chiropractic appointment with Rosenberg Wellness Center today. When simple tasks like lifting objects off the floor become difficult, know that Rosenberg Wellness Center is here to help find a way to make them better and troublefree for you and your spine!
