La Grande Back Pain-Preventing Lifting Techniques
Lifting an object off the ground seems like a simple task for most people. It’s one we do every day typically without a second thought. Clients at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC share these kinds of stories every day about how hard it is to pick something up off the ground or how getting a simple pencil up off the ground precipitated the worst back pain. Our La Grande 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 hints in mind can potentially limit stress on the spine.
LIFTING TECHNIQUES
When it comes to posture, lifting is a renowned 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 set of researchers presented some odd findings though: squat lift training didn’t prevent low back pain and stoop lifting isn’t a risk factor for low back pain. How do these two findings contribute to the discussion of appropriate lifting for back pain prevention and management? They suggested that the lifting posture that is proper for each person must be individualized as each lifting posture possesses its own biomechanical and kinematic patterns for muscle activation which make certain lifting postures better for certain patients. Researchers explained 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 suitable for his/her body and lifting situation following the “calm tissue down, build tissue up, improve work capacity” system. (1) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC typically looks at each of our La Grande chiropractic patients and offers 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 while 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 La Grande chiropractic clients|we can all do! Lifting slowly is another idea that reportedly lowered loads on the lumbar spinal elements. Stoop lifting had a larger lumbar spine lordosis range of motion and produced 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’re not very strong, let’s talk about strengthening them!)
CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tyler Lomnicki on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses care of a man with a disc herniation among other conditions for which The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management of spinal manipulation contributed to his relief.
Schedule your La Grande chiropractic appointment with Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC today. When simple tasks like lifting objects off the floor become troublesome, know that Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC is ready to help find a way to make them better and troublefree for you and your spine!
