LIFTING? YES, YOU CAN!

Who says you will hurt your lower back from lifting? You won‘t - if you strengthen your back

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS „WRONG“ LIFTING

We all know the situations in everyday life where we have to lift heavy objects or want to help others with some heavy lifting such as moving boxes, holding a child for a bit, carrying heavy furniture etc. But heavy lifting can take a toll on your lower back. It’s important to realise that this is not because we use an “incorrect” lifting technique. After all, why should lifting a moval box be more difficult than lifting a weight at your gym?

The important thing is to know that your body will tell you what it is capable of and how far it will cooperate. Also, there is no right or wrong way. Naturally, your body will use a logical and the most natural physical approach to lifting your load.

All you should really worry about and work on is strengthening your back! Throwing out your back or back sprain will only occur if your movements are unpracticed, or your back is untrained.
You can check out our suitable back strengthening exercises in our video library.
And follow some rules that might help you in everyday life.

Lifting doesn‘t have to take a toll on your back
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BACK-SAVERS: LIFTING TIPS

The best thing you can do to for your back is to strenthen it through regular exercise.
Check our video library and work on that! Being reasonable about your lifting tasks
will also help:

1. Plan ahead before lifting heavier loads. Knowing what you‘re doing and where you‘re going will prevent you from making awkward movements while holding something heavy. Clear your path first, and if lifting something with another person, make sure both of you agree on the same plan and direction

PREVENT AWKWARD AND SUDDEN MOVEMENTS BY PLANNING AHEAD2. Test the load: A classic situation that will strain back muscles: trying to pick up boxes that you think are empty but are actually filled with books or CD’s. In order to find out how heavy the object is, you can try nudging a box with your foot first, or cautiously lift it by an inch first before really trying to lift it. If it is too heavy for you, don’t try to prove you can do it – just ask for some help.

Plan ahead and try to avoid awkward movements
See lifting as a workout
3. Dress for success: Wearing tight clothing can prevent you from using proper biomechanics such as bending your knees, especially when lifting. Try wearing loose-fitting clothing when you know you will be doing chores.
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YOU MIGHT WANT TO REDUCE...

If you are no lifting champion and you think your lower back isn‘t up to the challenge, check if you can minimise...

  1. The weight of the object. If your back isn‘t well equipped for the load, break the object up into smaller portions.

  2. The duration of your lifting activities. Injury is more likely to occur when you fatigued.
  3. The speed in which you lift - this is no race and there are no medals to be won.
  4. The distance the weight is to be carried. Ensure that the path is free from obstacles.
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OUCH! MY BACK IS IN PAIN

Remember that hurt is no harm.

It’s too late and your lower back is already in pain? Be aware of the fact that hurt is no harm - your back won‘t be „worn out“ from it and in most cases recover quickly - that is, if an injury or illness can be ruled out. If you are unsure about the cause of your back pain and feel the pain does not subside after a few days, see a doctor. Also watch out for signals such as pain radiating to the leg. (Also, see the Instant Help section for Lower Back Pain.)
  1. Temperature helps: You might want to try cooling the area with a cold pack (ice is a natural pain reliever and will work in case of swelling or bumps). Place it on the sore spot. If you feel that this helps, leave it on for no more than ten minutes each hour. See a doctor if you suspect inflammation.
  2. Warm it up: If there is no swelling and you feel that the pain has mechanical causes, you can try to apply warmth.  Heat is good will help alleviate muscle tension and works well in case of hardened or knotted muscles. Try applying a Elastoplast ABC plaster on the affected area, it will provide sustained intense heat and at the same time block the transmission of pain.
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If in doubt, always see a doctor...
Unless you are a medical professional, you will not be able to tell where your back pain comes from. Knotted muscles will be alleviated by WARMTH, whereas COLD will help reduce acute symptoms of inflammatory pain, bumps and swelling. See what helps in your case and see a doctor for further diagnosis and treatment.

5 GOLDEN TIPS THAT WILL HELP PREVENT BACK PAIN

The best way to take care of your spine and back is to prevent injury and strain instead of dealing with the aftermath.
So it’s a good idea to incorporate a few of these tips into your everyday life:

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3. Walk away from it: Walking keeps your back healthy by conditioning your whole body. Its natural rhythm of contraction and relaxation of tension strengthens the postural muscles. A brisk stroll may also help your body release endorphins, hormones that subdue pain. Try walking or some other aerobic exercise for 20 minutes a day, three times a week. Swimming, cycling and running, yoga or Pilates are good, too.

4. Supported sleeping: Your mattress should provide proper support, be flat and even and not sag. A bed loses a tremendous amount of firmness as it ages. A mattress is like a pair of shoes. It may suit your needs at one time, but it wears out as time goes by. Invest in a good one. Usually medium is better that very hard. But test what suits you best before you buy, whether it’s soft or hard that you prefer. A good indication is sleeping more comfortably in a specific hotel bed.

5. Tobacco-taboo: You may not want to hear this, but smoking is not only bad for your general health, but specifically for your back: it increases the overall ageing of your spine. Try to quit the habit as soon as possible if you suffer from back problems.

1. Straighten up: To improve your posture, follow some of the exercises from our video library. Or try to do this exercise: Stand against a wall or sit in a dining room chair, make sure that your shoulders and buttocks touch the wall or your chair. Slip your arm into the space between your low back and the wall or chair, tilt your hips so that the extra space is eliminated. Stay in that position till you count uptil 20 while looking at a mirror to see what your posture looks like. Do that exercise once a day for three weeks to ensure that maintaining good posture becomes a habit. After a few weeks of exercise, you will see that your posture improves.

2. The a.m. stretch: If you feel stiff in the mornings, you can start off your day by stretching while you are still in bed. Before you get up, slowly stretch your arms over your head, then gently pull your knees up to your chest one at a time. When you are ready to sit up, roll to the side of the bed and use your arm to help prop yourself up. Put your hands on your buttocks and slowly lean back to extend your spine.

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Please note that none of the above given tips or recommendations substitute medical advice. Important: consult a health professional in case of an injury or if you suspect overuse of joints or a medical condition such as a fracture. A physician should be consulted in those acute cases when the condition is accompanied by reddening, swelling or hyperthermia of joints, ongoing joint trouble or severe pain and/or are associated with neurological symptoms
(e.g. numbness, tingling, loss of motion).

For further information regarding Elastoplast products, please contact us via email on phc@beiersdorf.com. Carefully read the instructions for use given in our products‘ packages.

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