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Maintain a healthy back
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Remember - Maintain Your Curves.
The muscles in the back are unlike many other muscles in your body— they are almost always in use. They hold your torso in an upright position throughout your day. They assist you every time you pick something up, whether it's a pen or a concrete block. They support posture while you sit in your chair, and they even work at night when you sleep.
In order for you to understand what is good posture and what is bad posture— let's take a look at how your back is designed:
Three Curves of Your Back: Your back is composed of three natural curves that form an S-shape. When your three natural curves are properly aligned, your ears, shoulders, and hips are in a straight line. Without support from strong, flexible muscles, your back loses its three natural curves. Poor posture can lead to pain and serious injury.
When you use good posture, your back is aligned in three natural curves supported by strong, flexible muscles. Good posture helps prevent back strain and pain.
Lifting with Proper Posture
Lifting is strenuous— it requires proper training and technique. By lifting with your large, strong leg muscles instead of the small muscles of the back, you can prevent back injuries and reduce low back pain. There are five steps to follow when lifting an object:
GET CLOSE TO THE LOAD Get as close to the load as possible— as if you’re hugging the object. Having the object close to your body put less force on your low back.
MAINTAIN YOUR CURVES.
Keep yourself in an upright position while squatting to pick up
TIGHTEN YOUR STOMACH MUSCLES
Tightening the stomach helps support the spine. Don't hold your breath while tightening the muscles.
LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS
Your legs are the strongest muscles in your body— so use them.
PIVOT DON'T TWIST
Turn with your feet, not your back. It isn't built for twisting from side to side.
Large or Heavy Loads.
If a load is too heavy to lift alone, ask for help. Pick one person to coach the lift — this way you lift and lower at the same time.
Overhead Loads. If a load is above your shoulders, use a step stool to elevate yourself until the load is at least chest level— preferably waist height. Pull the object close to your body and then lift. Remember to maintain your curves — use your arms and legs to do the work.
Do you work in— "NEUTRAL SPINE"?
Neutral spine is a term used when your back and, therefore, your spinal column, is in its natural, neutral posture. First, what is good posture?
Three Natural Curves:
In order to assure the spine is working efficiently, we must keep the bones in the best alignment. Otherwise, the stress and forces are magnified— ligaments will be overstretched and muscles fatigued— causing pain and possible injury. In any activity, these 3 curves should be maintained— but not increased.
The head should be above the shoulders so that the ear is in-line with the top of the shoulder. The top of the shoulder should be over the hips.
Check out each section on this website that relates to your job task to find out how to keep yourself in this posture.
Maintaining a Healthy Back with Exercise and Rest
It doesn't take much time to improve the strength and flexibility of your back. In just 10 minutes a day, you can perform a few exercises, which can prevent a lifetime of low back pain!
This exercise strengthens your stomach muscles:
Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor, keeping your hands across your chest.
Work up to 30 repetitions.
The exercise described belowstrengthens your low back:
Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
With arms lying at your sides, tighten stomach muscles, squeeze buttocks, and slowly raise your hips into the air.
Hold for 5 seconds and and then slowly bring the buttocks back to the floor.
Repeat 20 times.
This strengthens your back and leg muscles:
Stand with your back against a wall and your feet slightly apart.
Slide into a half-sit.
Hold as long as you can; slide back up.
Repeat 5 times.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise also stretches and strengthens the muscles that support your low back, which combined with healthy eating can also help you maintain your ideal weight. If you're overweight, the extra pounds add to the strain on your low back. Aerobic exercise like walking, can help you lose weight.
Proper Rest
The best position for resting the back muscles is lying on your back on your living room floor with a pillow under your knees and a rolled up towel under your neck. You can also lie on your side in the fetal position— bend the knees to reduce strain on the low back and put a pillow between your knees, and under your head and neck to keep them level.
