Proper lifting techniques can save you from back injuries. Improper lifting is so dangerous that some businesses provide automatic lift carts to raise objects off the floor to waist height so employees do not have to bend over to pick stuff up. You may need to avoid lifting from below waist height for several reasons, such as allowing your back to heal from a strain or to avoid exacerbating conditions that affect the lower back.
Muscle Strain
Picking up heavy objects and twisting while lifting are two of the most common reasons for a muscle strain and resulting lower back pain, according to Spine-Health. Fortunately, resting for a couple of days generally brings relief; resting longer may cause your back muscles to weaken. While you are still recovering from a strain, you do not want to place significant stress on your back. To avoid future strains by keeping back strain to a minimum, do not lift heavy objects off the floor or bend from the waist.
Herniated Disc
The vertebrae in your spine have spongy discs between them that act as shock absorbers. When one of these discs bulges outward, it is called a herniated disc. Using incorrect lifting techniques — such as bending over at the waist — can cause a herniated disc, especially when done repeatedly. If this is the likely cause of your herniated disc, then you do not want to risk further damage by reaching down to pick stuff up. A possible alternative is to kneel on the floor, slide the object up your thigh to waist height and then stand up.
Spinal Stenosis
Your spinal cord and surrounding nerve roots run through channels up your back. Spinal stenosis is a condition characterized by the narrowing of these channels. The narrowing compresses the nerves and causes pain. Some people are born with spinal stenosis, and others acquire it. Lifting heavy objects from the floor can injure your spine and cause spinal stenosis. Osteoarthritis also makes you more vulnerable to spinal stenosis. Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of bones or tissues in your joints. Avoid bending over to pick up objects if you have spinal stenosis or osteoarthritis.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by weak bones that break easily. Heavy lifting should be avoided if you have this condition. Even if you hold a light, manageable item at waist level or above, be careful to avoid twisting because this places stress on the bones in your back. Even picking up something off the floor that is not particularly heavy could cause a vertebral fracture. If you have advanced osteoporosis, even coughing or sneezing can cause fractures. Sliding an item off a counter or taking it from someone at waist height reduces stress on your back.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Low Back Pain
- Tang Center at UC Berkeley University Health Services: Safe Lifting Tips
- State Compensation Insurance Fund: Preventing Strains and Sprains
- Spine-Health: Common Causes of Lower Back Pain
- Cigna: Herniated Disc
- Spine Universe: What Is Spinal Stenosis?
- University of Washington Medicine, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine: Osteoporosis
- Spine-Health: Osteoporosis: Vertebral Fracture Symptoms
