Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. 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 Auburn chiropractic patient with low back pain, you have! You’ve likely even experienced it directly. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. describes proper lifting techniques with our back pain patients early on in treatment. It’s important to keep the spine protected while it heals! New studies suggest that back supports and even hand support techniques while lifting can help.

MECHANICAL LOADING DURING LIFTING

Mechanical loading is a key risk factor for low back pain. The loading may be from a heavy or light object that prompts Auburn 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 show some promise in decreasing lumbar flexion and lowering 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 reduce the risk of compression-related tissue failure during lifting. (1) For now, Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. focuses on what’s accessible today to help our Auburn back pain patients control their back pain once the pain is lessened by controlling their spine-related motions.

CHIROPRACTIC LIFTING TIPS

It would seem that there would be a big 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 wanted to see if the common way most people pick things up off the floor – with a hand on a thigh for support – made a difference. They proposed that it would result in reduced 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. Using a hand on the thigh for support while reaching for the pencil on the floor reduced the average peak total stresses by 17 to 25% (depending on the lifting method). Hand support while lifting the crate dropped the peak total stresses by 13-19% for one-handed lifting and 14-26% for two-handed lifting. (2) Hand support while lifting may help the low back. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. has some other ways to limit spinal stress during lifting to control Auburn back pain and its recurrence: support belts to exercise to spinal manipulation to back school. It’s a comprehensive treatment plan you will want to embrace!

CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.

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 Auburn chiropractic appointment with Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.. Lifting can put stress on the the lumbar spine. Chiropractic care alleviates the stress on the low back for back pain relief.  Call us today!