Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn Shares Tips for Lifting Safely to Prevent Back Pain
Did you hear how lifting can be hard on a low back? If you are a Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patient with low back pain, you have! You’ve likely even experienced it personally. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn explains proper lifting techniques with our back pain patients in the beginning of treatment. It’s important to keep the spine protected while it heals! New studies report 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 triggers Ashburn and Herndon back pain. Much of how the pain comes on is due to how the back muscles act during the lift. Newly designed “exoskeletons” are being tested. They go beyond a back brace but show some promise in reducing lumbar flexion and lowering the compressive force on the back by 13-21% while bending. Peak compressive force during lifting was reduced by 14%. The researchers are hopeful that such devices could reduce the risk of compression-related tissue failure while lifting. (1) For now, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn focuses on what is accessible today to help our Ashburn and Herndon 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 huge difference in spine action between picking up a pencil and lifting a crate, but there isn’t much difference when discussing how the low back responds while lifting. Interesting! 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 noting 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 reduced the peak total stresses by 13-19% for one-handed lifting and 14-26% for two-handed lifting. (2) Hand support during lifting may help the low back. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn has some other approaches to limit spinal stress during lifting to control Ashburn and Herndon back pain and its reappearance: support belts to exercise to spinal manipulation to back school. It’s a comprehensive treatment plan you’ll want to embrace!
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Alexander on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains the effectiveness and gentleness of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with spinal stenosis and low back pain.
Schedule your next Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn. Lifting can put stress on the the low back. Chiropractic care alleviates the stress on the low back for back pain relief. Contact us today!
