OrthoIllinois Chiropractic Shares Tips for Lifting Safely to Prevent Back Pain

Did you hear how lifting can be hard on a low back? If you are a McHenry chiropractic patient with low back pain, you have! You’ve likely even experienced it personally. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic describes proper lifting techniques to our back pain patients in the beginning of treatment. It’s important to keep the spine protected 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 McHenry back pain. Much of how the pain comes on is via the response of back  muscles during the lift. Newly designed “exoskeletons” are being tested. They go beyond a back brace but demonstrate some promise in decreasing lumbar flexion and lowering the compressive force on the back by 13-21% while bending. Peak compressive force during lifting was decreased by 14%. The researchers are optimistic that such devices could reduce the risk of compression-related tissue failure during lifting. (1) For now, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic focuses on what is available widely today to help our McHenry 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 is not much difference when discussing 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 thought that it would lead to decreased load on the back. The volunteers lifted two kinds of things - a pencil and a crate - off the floor with researchers logging every move and muscle response. Getting the pencil with a hand on a thigh for support while bending over reduced 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 while lifting may protect the low back. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic has some other ways to limit spinal stress during lifting to control McHenry back pain and its reappearance: support belts to exercise to spinal manipulation to back school. It’s a comprehensive treatment plan you will want to embrace!

CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic

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

Make your next McHenry chiropractic appointment with OrthoIllinois Chiropractic. Lifting can put stress on the the low back. Chiropractic care eases the stress on the lumbar spine for back pain relief.  Contact us today!