Have you heard how lifting can be hard on
a low back? If you are a Baton Rouge chiropractic patient with low back
pain, you have! You’ve likely even experienced it directly.
Spine & Sports Rehab Center describes proper lifting techniques to
our back pain patients in the beginning of treatment. It is
essential to keep the spine protected
while it heals! New studies report that back supports and even hand
support techniques during lifting can help.
MECHANICAL LOADING DURING LIFTING
Mechanical loading is a major risk factor for low
back pain. The loading may be from a heavy or light object
that triggers Baton Rouge 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 demonstrate 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 decreased
by 14%. The researchers are optimistic that such devices could lower
the risk of compression-related tissue failure while lifting. (1) For
now, Spine & Sports Rehab Center focuses on what’s available
widely today to help our Baton Rouge back pain patients control
their back pain once the pain is diminished by controlling their
spine-related movements.
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 is not much difference when discussing how
the low back responds during lifting. Crazy! 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 lead to decreased load on the back.
The volunteers lifted two kinds of things - a pencil and a crate - off
the floor with researchers recording every move and muscle
response. Retrieving the pencil with a hand on a
thigh for support while bending over decreased 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 protect the low back. Spine & Sports Rehab Center
has some other ways to limit lifting
stresses on the spine to control Baton Rouge back pain and its reappearance:
support belts to exercise to spinal manipulation to back school. It is
a comprehensive treatment plan you will want to embrace!
CONTACT Spine & Sports Rehab Center
Listen to the PODCAST
with Dr. Matthew Alexander on the
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management for his patient with spinal stenosis and low back pain.
Make your next Baton Rouge
chiropractic appointment with Spine & Sports Rehab Center. Lifting can put stress on the
the lumbar spine. Chiropractic care eases the
stress on the lumbar spine for back pain relief. Call us today!
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the
DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by
Dr. James M. Cox I."