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Step 1
Wear a back brace when lifting. Wearing a back brace when lifting alleviates some of the strain on the lower back muscles. Not wearing one, especially when you are of slender build, can easily wear out the lower back muscles causing chronic back problems. When lifting more than 50 pounds on a regular basis on any job, some employers offer and require you to wear a back brace while on the clock. If your employer doesn't offer a back brace, you are encouraged to purchase one.
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Step 2
Lift with your knees, not with your back. Lifting incorrectly is perhaps the primary cause of back problems. When lifting anything that is heavy you should bend all the way down, pick up the object with both hands and lift with your legs and knees never with your back.
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Step 3
Maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight can take stress off your knees, legs and feet and in turn alleviate stress on your lower back. People who are overweight are twice as likely to have back issues than someone who is slender. If you are having recurring back pains and are overweight, you need to talk to your doctor about a diet and exercise plan so that you can loose weight.
Comments
TriMom73 said
on 10/1/2008 Good article! I am not good about lifting boxes with proper form. I need to remember that.
Another good tip is to regularly work Core muscles to keep the back strong and healthy: http://buzz.prevention.com/community/trimom73/keep-your-back-healthy-and-strong