When someone has back pain, simple tasks such as bending to tie ones shoes or even picking up a bag of groceries can be difficult (or painful). Imagine telling a new mom or mom/grandma with a toddler to not lift them up. Regardless of how much pain they may have they are still likely to lift the child. So why then do health professionals tell individuals with back pain not to lift? Because of wrongly held beliefs that bending and/or lifting “may” cause back pain. Putting false messages in people’s head does not but further impair their ability to live life.

For some reason there is this misconception that the spine is weak or fragile. In reality that just is not true. The human spine is strong and stable, even if someone has back pain. The spine is made to bend, twist, and move. We actually harm our back more by sitting, lying, and doing nothing – avoiding activity than anything else. The fear and avoidance of movement (bending and lifting) creates a worse scenario than just being active. In this case, the fear of bending/lifting actually creates a false pain loop that the person experiences. This is a very complex process so I will not deep dive into it, but just know, the longer one avoids an activity (like bending/lifting), the more difficult it will become over time.

Back to the beginning question…Just what is the proper way to lift if one has back pain? The surprising answer is…there is not just one correct way. Lets begin with what not to do 1st. One, avoid bending/twisting with the lift. Two, don’t lift anything you feel is too heavy. And three avoid twisting and reaching out to place the load lifted elsewhere.

Keys to lifting safely

1. Make sure what you want to lift is directly in front of you (if possible)
2. Allow yourself to squat down some as you bend to lift (i.e. use your legs to help you lift)
3. As you lift, keep the object as close to you as possible
4. Get help if you feel object is too heavy
5. When you are tired, take a break

There you have it, the 5 keys to helping you lift safely even if you have back pain. If you are struggling with back pain and haven’t yet found a solution here are 2 options that may work for you. 1) Start with some Free Information about Back Pain or 2) Arrange your very own Discovery Session to learn more about a natural solution for your back pain.