Apple Country Chiropractic 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 Williamson chiropractic patient with low back pain, you have! You have likely even experienced it directly. Apple Country Chiropractic describes proper lifting techniques to our back pain patients early on in treatment. It’s essential to keep the spine protected while it heals! New studies report that back supports and even hand support techniques while lifting can help.
MECHANICAL LOADING DURING LIFTING
Mechanical loading is a major risk factor for low back pain. The loading may be from a heavy or light object that prompts Williamson back pain. Much of how the pain comes on is via the response of back muscles during the lift. Newly designed “exoskeletons” are being tried. They go beyond a back brace but demonstrate 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 optimistic that such devices could lower the risk of compression-related tissue failure while lifting. (1) For now, Apple Country Chiropractic focuses on what is accessible today to help our Williamson back pain patients control their back pain once the pain is diminished by controlling their spine-related movements.
CHIROPRACTIC LIFTING TIPS
It would seem that there would be a huge 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 during lifting. Crazy! Researchers explored how 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 recording every move and muscle response. Getting the pencil with a hand on a thigh for support while bending over decreased the average peak total stresses by 17 to 25% (depending on the lifting method). Hand support while lifting the crate reduced 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. Apple Country Chiropractic has some other ways to limit spinal stress during lifting to control Williamson 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 Apple Country Chiropractic
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Alexander on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with spinal stenosis and low back pain.
Schedule your next Williamson chiropractic appointment with Apple Country 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!
