Preventing Back Injury

December 12, 2008 by soreback · Comments Off 

Many doctors agree that the biggest cause of back injury is misuse of the back muscles and too much stress and strain without proper precautions.

The muscles of the back are some of the strongest in the body but that doesn’t mean they’re infallible.  Unfortunately you don’t always get a lot of warning signs when you’re putting too much pressure on the back; the pain you feel is usually a sign that damage has already been done.  So to keep yourself from injury, keep these things in mind:

Lifting with the legs

How many times have you heard that you should lift with your legs?  There’s a reason why this is preached over and over again.  The muscles of the legs are larger when used together and are meant to be used when you’re lifting heavy objects.  When you use your back to lift you are putting tremendous amount of pressure on the smaller muscles of the lower back which are also working to move your entire torso and upper body at the same time.

One reason that many people avoiding lifting with their legs is that their knees are often damaged and worn out and rather painful when in use.  If this is true in your case then the solution is not to just use your back but to realize that perhaps it’s time to use a dolly or some other type of tool that can assist you rather than just putting that extra strain on your back muscles.

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It’s difficult for some to admit that they just cannot lift the way they once could or to ask for help; this can even cause problems on the job if it’s required that you move heavy packages or do lifting of any type.  But remember that back injuries can be permanent and can affect you in many ways so it’s best to consider your long-term health.

Proper posture

Why is proper posture so important when it comes to protecting your back?  Simply put, the back muscles are designed to work a certain way and poor posture puts strain on muscles that aren’t prepared for the burden of posture and overworks other muscles as well.

The muscles of the lower back are designed to hold the body upright but when you slouch these muscles are overworked because they are contracted improperly and this causes injury.  Think of what happens if you crook your fingers tightly around something for a long time, be it a pen or coffee cup handle.  That finger begins to hurt after not too long.  Your back is the same way.  It’s not meant to be curled up, holding the weight of your body unnaturally, and this unnatural stance causes eventual pain and injury.

There are many reasons to watch your posture and back pain is only one of them.  When you are slouched you are putting undue pressure on all of your internal organs, including your stomach and lungs.  People with poor posture often suffer breathing and stomach problems as well as back pain.

You don’t want to overcorrect this problem by thrusting your head in the air and your back in a rigid stance; your posture should always be relaxed but upright.

Tip from the experts:  Your posture is probably most important during the long hours you spend behind a desk or in your chair at work.  Far too many are stretched or curved over their desk all day, putting stress and strain on the lower back for hours on end.  No wonder they’re in pain at the end of the day!  Learn to sit up straight and lean back when possible while still minding your posture.
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