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Have you ever gone to lift something heavy and tweaked your back the wrong way?
Oh, the pain can be excruciating.
When you get new carpet installed in your home, moving your furniture is something you have to do, unfortunately. But, what if we told you there was a pain-free and easy way to do? Hire The Carpet Guys!
Let Our Carpet Installers Move your Furniture
We offer free furniture moving because we know how bad you can hurt yourself if you move heavy objects improperly. We don’t want your comfy couch to be a source of back pain.
To show you how bad improper lifting can mess up your back, we had a couple of our professional chiropractic friends answer some questions. Those questions are:
- How can improper lifting damage your back? How serious is the damage?
- What is the correct way to lift heavy objects?
- Do you recommend customers let professionals handle heavy lifting projects rather than doing it themselves?
- What are ways to keep your back healthy and in good shape?
- How often do people come to see you for back pain due to improper lifting?
- What is the most common issue that comes from improper lifting?
Take a look at their answers below. And yes, we know there is a lot of information here, but it can save you some major damage to your back if you give it a read.
Dr. Ruvayn Rubinstein of Thrive Chiropractic
- Improper lifting (bending at the waist technique) regardless of the size, shape or weight can cause back injuries. Back pain due to improper lifting is one of the leading causes of sick days in Michigan according to MIOSHA. Improper lifting techniques can lead to:
- Subluxations (vertebrae in the spine is misaligned putting pressure on a nerve causing interference in the nerve pathways which can lead to pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and muscle atrophy)
- Muscle Spasms (The muscles tighten to support the injured area, which leads to extreme pain)
- Torn or Strained Muscles and Ligaments (this can occur from repetitively lifting incorrectly)
- Disc Herniations (occurs when the disc ruptures and puts stress on nerves and spinal cord and can be caused by repetitively lifting incorrectly)
- Assess the situation (make sure you know how heavy the object is, make sure you know where you are putting the object, and if too heavy make sure you have a lifting partner). Stand near the object to center yourself over the item and stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Tighten your stomach muscles to help support the back. Squat down like a weightlifter, BENDING AT THE KNEES looking straight ahead. Finally, when lifting, make sure you keep the object in your “Neutral Zone” the area between your hips and shoulders.
- If you are not 100% certain you can do the work yourself without injuries hiring a professional is the best bet.
- To keep your spine healthy, you should be doing spinal hygiene daily and seeing a Chiropractor who can examine and X-ray you to show you the current position of your spine to make sure it is aligned properly. If not make sure you get regular care to keep your spine and body functioning at 100%
- Almost daily, I am getting calls from new and current patients…they are calling because they lifted something incorrectly, they tried to install their own floors, they tried cleaning their own gutters, they tried mowing their own lawn… the number of back related injuries that happen from the DIYers is huge!
- Due to the extreme force put on the low back from improper lifting I would have to say Low Back Pain is the most common issue.
Dr. Lisa A. Lupo of Van Every Family Chiropractic Center
- Improper lifting can cause unnecessary shear loading on the intervertebral discs resulting in misalignments of the spinal bones and injury, specifically the low back area. These discs are comprised of rigid fibrous rings, very strong but not indestructible. Injury to the rings can cause bulging or even rupture of the disc resulting in pressure exertion on the spinal nerves exiting the spinal column. Pressure on the nerves can cause pain in the low back that may radiate into the buttocks or legs. Depending on the severity of the injury, it could take 6 weeks to months of treatment to heal.
- Proper lifting technique should include bending of both hips and knees, slight bend in both elbows, and keeping the chest forward. Something resembling a power squat with the object placed squarely between the knees. Keeping the chest facing forward will allow the back muscles to remain straight and force good posture. You want the lifting power to come from the hips, thighs and core muscles. NEVER bend at the waist or rotate with feet planted. When turning or twisting is required, make sure to swivel with feet and hips in a coupled motion.
- Yes, a professional has gone through specific training of technique and has expert knowledge of ergonomics in the workplace and biomechanical movement patterns.
- Make sure, you routinely get checked and adjusted by your chiropractor. This will assist you in maintaining a healthy and aligned spine. In conjunction with a balanced diet consisting of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, stretching and core exercises will maintain muscle mass and promote flexibility. These core spinal stabilizing muscles are very important in protecting the integrity of your low back and its alignment.
- Back pain is a common reason, but surprisingly, we see so much more than just back pain. Patients come to us for help with headaches, migraines, asthma, stress-related issues and emotional issues.
- Low back muscle strain would be the most common with intervertebral disc injury being the most severe, both of which can cause discomfort and pain. When there is structural and soft tissue injury combined, the healing process increases and so does the intensity of the pain.
Dr. Andrea Whedon-Hulbert of Claddagh Chiropractic Wellness Center
- Repetitive lifting and lifting improperly (even just one time) can greatly impact your back at any age. Lifting, bending, twisting movements can affect overall spinal health along with the muscles and ligaments that attach to the bones. Each injury, even a small one such as muscle tightness, can build upon one another which can lead to severe problems.
- The proper way to lift heavy objects is by using your legs to lift and not bending your back. When lifting, is it crucial that you squat down by bending your hips and knees to lift the object and then slowly, with the object close to you, stand, by straightening your legs. Avoid twisting or rotating as this can increase your chances of injury. With repetitive lifting, including heavy loads, the use of a low back brace will help give support to the low back and still allow normal low back function.
- I am a huge proponent of letting the professionals handle lifting the heavy objects! We all are trained in our own fields and that is what we are great at doing! Though some do not view “heavy lifting” as a hard task, we see people all the time who have injured themselves doing tasks their body is not normally used to performing. Let the pros handle it, your back will thank you later!
- Working out, stretching, staying hydrated, and receiving regular chiropractic care are all musts to allow the life you want to be living.
- We see people who have injured themselves from improper lifting almost every day. Whether lifting a light or heavy object, you can injure yourself if you are not lifting or moving an object properly.
- With improper lifting, patients can present with a variety of symptoms including, neck, mid back or low back pain, sciatica pain, disc bulges or herniations, sprain or strains, and muscles tightness/soreness. By the time a patient is experiencing pain, there are already issues that need to be corrected. Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong! Listen to it!
Well, you’ve heard it from the specialists themselves. Letting a professional move your furniture is the best way to handle heavy lifting.
That’s exactly why we have our installers move your furniture for you, and we’ll do it for free.
Save your Back with The Carpet Guys!
Don’t want to find out what happens when you tweak your back from lifting? Avoid the pain with The Carpet Guys!
Our carpet installation crews will handle all the heavy lifting for you at no charge.
To get new flooring installed without the do-it-yourself labor, book a free carpet estimate with us today!
You’ll get the brand new floors you want without any back pain at all.
We look forward to seeing you.
