Avoiding pain in older people
Back care when lifting weight
Different techniques will allow you to lift weight
with a lesser risk to your back: the traditional lift, the cervical
lift, the diagonal lift or tilted lifting. In any case, you should
always transport weight close to your body and raise weights only
to your chest level.
a) Traditional Lift
Loading weight "traditionally" (frontally, weight is lifted with
legs straightened, flexing the spine forward) is always harmful.
If there is no other alternative, in order to make it less harmful,
always make sure that your knees are bent and your spine is arched
backward, never forward.
Lean over bending your knees, with your back straight and head
lifted, resting both feet completely on the floor, slightly apart
(feet should be approximately parallel to the hips) and as near
as possible to the weight you will lift. Hold the weight in your
arms, keeping it as close to the body as possible and stand up stretching
your legs and keeping your back straight or slightly arched backward,
never forward. If the weight is heavy, keep your legs flexed while
carrying it.
1. Keep your back straight
2. Keep the load as close to the body as possible
3. Feet as near as possible to the load
c) Diagonal Lift
Lean over bending your knees, with your back straight
and head lifted. Rest both feet on the floor: one placed slightly
ahead of the other; with the tip of the toe placed behind touching
the edge of the weight you are about to lift, in such a manner that
your trunk is practically over the weight. Hold the weight in your
arms as close as possible to your body, and stand up straightening
your legs, keeping your back straight or slightly arched backward,
never forward. If the weight is heavy, keep the legs slightly flexed
while loading it.
If you cannot lift an object with the techniques previously described
(for example if there is an obstacle), and the weight is light,
bend forward while you raise to the back the leg which is opposite
the arm lifting the load. This decreases the arch of the lumbar
spine caused by the inclination.
1. Keep your back straight
2. Raise the leg which is opposite to the arm lifting the load
e) Transporting the Weight
You should transport the weight as close as possible to your body
at all times. Carrying weight with your arms fully extended could
make your spine support a load 10-fold greater than the actual weight.
If the weight is heavy, while transporting it walk with your knees
flexed. Never bend over with your legs stretched, nor make partial
turns of parts of the body while holding up the weight.
1. Transport the weight as close
as possible to your body
2. Never bend with your legs stretched
f) Lifting Weight
Lift weight only to the level of your chest, with
your elbows flexed to ensure the load is near to the body. If you
have to raise the weight, get on a stool or on a ladder.
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Back Pain Research Network 
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