McHenry Back Pain-Preventing Lifting Techniques
Lifting something off the ground seems like a simple task for most folks. It is a task we do every day mostly without question. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic 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 precipitated the worst back pain. Our McHenry 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 tips 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 discussed some odd findings though: squat lift training didn’t prevent low back pain and stoop lifting is not a risk factor for low back pain. How do these two findings figure into suitable lifting for back pain prevention and management? They proposed that the lifting posture that is proper for each person must be individualized as each lifting posture possesses its own biomechanical and kinematic patterns for muscle activation which make particular lifting postures better for particular patients. Researchers described that stoop lifting was more metabolically efficient and less challenging to the cardiopulmonary system. This set of researchers further 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) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic typically looks at each of our McHenry 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 support us all when lifting. A special lifting trick referred to as BATT (a braced arm to thigh, one-handed lifting method to pick up objects with the dominant hand) substantially reduced 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 contrasted with unsupported lifting techniques. (2) That is a simple lifting tip we know our McHenry chiropractic clients|we can all do! Another is lift slowly which reportedly lowered loads on the lumbar spine. Stoop lifting had a greater 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 higher) 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 OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes treatment 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 McHenry chiropractic appointment with OrthoIllinois Chiropractic today. When simple tasks like lifting objects off the floor become problematic, know that OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is available to help find a way to make them better and easier for you and your spine!
