Safe Lifting And Back Injury Prevention What can

Safe Lifting And Back Injury Prevention What can you do to protect yourself from back injury? • Ergonomics (the tools, equipment and layout of your work) • Body Mechanics (the choices you make in how you use your body • Stretching and Warm-up (the way you prepare for and compensate for the work you do. ) Back injuries are usually caused by cumulative damage to your back and not a single event. • Set up your work to your best advantage (keep the curves of your back intact. ) • Choose less demanding ways to do things. • Warm up before demanding tasks and stretch the opposite way after a while of doing these tasks. Body Mechanics: Ways to “Choose better Methods” • Keep it Close! Keeping the load that you are lifting or the work that you are doing as close to your body as possible is the single most important choice that you make for your back. • Power Positions! Every athlete uses them and you should too. Power positions are where you are at your mid-point of range of motion. It usually looks like the pictures to the right. • Staggered Stance? By staggering your feet, you engage your powerful legs and hips. It works whether you’re lifting or just standing. • Feet First If you lead with you head, you will twist your spine. If you lead with your feet, you are on your way to back safety. • Build a Bridge! When you lean forward you are like a bridge supported only on one side. Build a bridge by placing your hands on a sturdy object near by or your own knee to take your own body weight out of the lift. • Prepare and Compensate Warm up before beginning strenuous tasks and stop and rest frequently to improve your efficiency and endurance. Stretching and Warm Up • Here a few stretches that are great for those who lift frequently.