Pick up heavy objects protecting your back
Sometimes our work demands an important physical effort, which is why it is essential to know how to do it correctly to prevent hurting ourselves. Pick up, push, transport or manipulate heavy objects can mean injuries if we do it wrong of too fast. There are studies that prove that ¡75% of injuries caused by manipulation of heavy objects can be prevented!
That´s the reason why we`ve chosen to share some easy and practical tips to avoid injuries on your back when picking up heavy objects at work:
- Stretch before you begin. Take a few minutes of your time to do some easy exercises that will warm up your muscles and prevent you from injuring when lifting weight. A basic but effective example is to try to touch your feet with your hands do short bounces to wake the lumbar area.
- Analyze the object you need to lift. ¿How high must you lift it? ¿For how long will you have to tolerate the weight? ¿Does it have handles to ease the process? Plan the movement to make it as effective as possible.
- Protect yourself. Use a belt to support your back and lower the impact of the weight on your body.
- Squat down by bending your knees. If necessary, put one knee on the ground and the other knee bent forward and right angle.
- Get up slowly holding a good posture. Look forward and keep your back straight, your chest out and your shoulders back.
- Keep the object as close as possible to your body, next to the navel so it’s easier to control the weight.
- Use your feet to switch directions giving small steps and not too fast to keep the balance.
- Unload the object carefully using your knees.
- Stretch again.
