San Jose Back Pain-Preventing Lifting Techniques
Lifting an object off the ground seems like a simple task for most folks. It is one we do every day typically without hesitation. Clients at Chiropractic Solutions share these types of 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 San Jose 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 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-studied. Squat lifting seems to be the one most report is optimal. One group of researchers discussed some odd findings though: squat lift training did not prevent low back pain and stoop lifting isn’t a risk factor for low back pain. How do these two points reckon with suitable lifting for back pain prevention and management? They proposed that the lifting posture that is proper for each person must be personalized as each lifting posture offers its own biomechanical and kinematic patterns for muscle activation making 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 patient on the proper lifting technique appropriate for his/her body and lifting situation using the “calm tissue down, build tissue up, improve work capacity” system. (1) Chiropractic Solutions typically looks at each of our San Jose 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 help us all when lifting. A special lifting trick referred to as BATT (a braced arm to thigh, one-handed lifting method to retrieve objects with the dominant hand) substantially reduced low back loading during lifting items of 2 to 10 kg. Trunk flexion angles were significantly reduced. Compressive and anterior-posterior shear forces were significantly lower as well compared with unsupported lifting techniques. (2) That is an easy lifting tip we know our San Jose chiropractic clients|we can all do! Another is lift slowly which reportedly lowered loads on the lumbar spinal elements. Stoop lifting had a greater lumbar spine lordosis range of motion and created lower total and compressive lumbar loads than squat lifting (except at L5S1 where anterior shear loads were higher) and freestyle lifting. (3) Therefore slow down when lifting. Use your quads to squat lift. (If they are not very strong, Chiropractic Solutions has some exercises to strength them!)
CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses treatment of a man with a disc herniation among other issues for which The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management of spinal manipulation assisted in his relief.
Schedule your San Jose chiropractic appointment with Chiropractic Solutions today. When simple tasks like lifting objects off the floor become troublesome, know that Chiropractic Solutions is available to help find a way to make them better and troublefree for you and your spine!
