Arizona Back Pain Relief

                                                                






                                                                                   
                                                                              

 

 

 

WORK INJURY PREVENTION

                                                 CORRECT LIFTING TECHNIQUE

Lifting doesn't have to be a dangerous proposition, even when it's done regularly at work or at home. As long as you know the facts about correct lifting and bending techniques, you can protect your back from a potential work injury.

There are two common mistakes made in lifting. The first is using the wrong muscles, the back muscles, instead of the leg and buttock muscles. You should always bend your knees when lifting heavy objects so you have a solid foundation for your spine. You should keep your trunk vertical when bending down and lifting something. A horizontal trunk can put pressure on the lower back amounting to hundreds of extra pounds. This pressure can eventually injure a disc or sprain or strain a lower back muscle resulting in an unfortunate work injury.

The second common error is lifting an object too far from the body. Get as close as possible to what you are lifting. It decreases the pressure on your spine. Try to start with the center of the weight no more than 8 inches from your body, then lift the object with a straight back using your leg and buttock muscles. These are simple principles that will help you prevent a work injury.

Just to illustrate, if you lift a 10-pound weight at arms length, it will put 150 pounds of pressure on your back. Lifting an object that weighs 86 pounds puts over 700 pounds of force on the discs in the lower back.

Another important guideline to follow is to limit twisting when lifting. This adds more force to your back. If you must turn when lifting, pivot your feet instead of twisting your back. In addition, always be sure of your footing. A sudden change in footing or a trip can cause enormous amounts of added stress on the back.

 

 

                                             CORRECT COMPUTER POSTURE

To minimize work injuries, you should assess your workstation and make changes based on the types of tasks you do on a daily basis, and the amount of time spent sitting or standing.

  • The Keyboard should be straight in front of you and easy to reach with your arms resting on the arm rests.
  • You should be sitting right back in your chair not perched off the front. Pull your chair right in so that your fingers comfortably reach the keyboard and so that your back and shoulders are straight and supported by the back of your chair.
  • The monitor should be at eye level so that you only need to move your eyes to see the whole screen. Having to look down or up puts strain on your neck and muscles to your head leading to headaches.
  • Keep the mouse close to your keyboard and work area.

 

 
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