Preventing back injuries

Back injuries are one of the most common injuries the human race suffers. A staggering eighty percent of the population has suffered some sort of back injury in their lifetime. It's actually the second most common reason for absenteeism in the workplace, second only to the common cold.
The largest number of back injuries, both temporary and life long, come from lifting things that are too heavy for the person lifting it, or from the wrong lifting techniques. Most people believe they know how to lift heavy objects correctly, but if they do know, they generally do not engage in using the correct techniques. Then they are shocked that they actually hurt themselves by lifting something they believe to be light respective to their lifting abilities. They believe that because they ‘bent their knees', they have followed correct procedure but did not give any consideration to the part of their body taking the most stress from the process of lifting something heavy.
Some people start the lifting process in the right position, but change position during lifting. This puts a great deal of strain on the lower back muscles and when the demand on the muscles is too much, they can form tears within the muscle known as muscle strain, they can also receive much more serious damage. This can be very painful and debilitating while the muscles work to heal themselves. People that have suffered this sort of injury have a hard time moving around and even a hard time breathing. While a back strain does heal generally, it takes months to completely heal and those months can be quite painful if not completely uncomfortable.
You can also injure a disk or more using incorrect lifting practices. Your intervertebral discs are like ball bearings within your body and they cushion between each vertebrae in the spine. Disks are basically rings constructed of a fibrous material; they can bulge or even break open or rupture should they be put through too much stress and strain. A disc injury can create a pain that radiates down into the buttocks and or even into the leg.
Joint injuries happen where joints meet bones in the back. These joints are normally quite powerful and capable of handling the stresses of lifting; however, lifting items improperly, even lighter weight items can affect these joints negatively and may cause them to become locked up.
The proper lifting technique and follow through are important in order to make sure you are protecting your back to the best extent. The first thing is, make sure the item you're lifting isn't too heavy for you to lift. When you go to lift it off the ground, you will need to bend at your knees, keep your chest forward and your back straight, leading with your hips. Keep your shoulders in line with your hips as you lift. Always try to keep the weight as close to your body as possible.

This article was written by Tom Sangers on behalf of Claims for you who offer Injury Claims and other No Win No Fee services.