The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR Shares Tips for Lifting Safely to Prevent Back Pain

Have you heard how lifting can be hard on a low back? If you are a Colorado Springs chiropractic patient with low back pain, you have! You have likely even experienced it directly. The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR describes proper lifting techniques with our back pain patients early on in treatment. It is essential to protect the spine while it heals! New studies suggest that back supports and even hand support techniques during lifting can help.

MECHANICAL LOADING DURING LIFTING

Mechanical loading is a key risk factor for low back pain. The loading may be from a heavy or light object that triggers Colorado Springs back pain. Much of how the pain comes on is due to how the back muscles act during the lift. Newly designed “exoskeletons” are being tried. They go beyond a back brace but show some promise in decreasing lumbar flexion and decreasing the compressive force on the back by 13-21% while bending. Peak compressive force during lifting was decreased by 14%. The researchers are hopeful that such devices could lower the risk of compression-related tissue failure during lifting. (1) For now, The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR focuses on what is available widely today to help our Colorado Springs back pain patients control their back pain once the pain is lessened by controlling their spine-related motions.

CHIROPRACTIC LIFTING TIPS

It would seem that there would be a big difference in spine action between picking up a pencil and lifting a crate, but there isn’t much difference when it comes to how the low back responds while lifting. Crazy! Researchers wanted to see if the common way most people pick things up off the floor – with a hand on a thigh for support – made a difference. They proposed that it would lead to reduced load on the back. The volunteers lifted two types of things - a pencil and a crate - off the floor with researchers noting every move and muscle response. Using a hand on the thigh for support while reaching for the pencil on the floor decreased the average peak total stresses by 17 to 25% (depending on the lifting method). Hand support while lifting the crate dropped the peak total stresses by 13-19% for one-handed lifting and 14-26% for two-handed lifting. (2) Hand support during lifting may help the low back. The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR has some other approaches to limit spinal stress during lifting to control Colorado Springs back pain and its recurrence: support belts to exercise to spinal manipulation to back school. It is a comprehensive treatment plan you’ll want to embrace!

CONTACT The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR

Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Alexander on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with spinal stenosis and low back pain.                                       

Make your next Colorado Springs chiropractic appointment with The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR. Lifting can put stress on the the lumbar spine. Chiropractic care eases the stress on the lumbar spine for back pain relief.  Call us today!