Save Your Back: Learn How To Lift Heavy Objects When Moving
Even if you’re hiring a professional moving company, there will most likely be boxes, dressers, chairs, and other heavy objects that you’ll be moving, sliding, and lifting as you pack up and move your home. Lifting and moving heavy objects in your home can be dangerous if you’re not careful. The dangers include straining your back and muscles, compressing your spinal discs, and joint pain. However, these issues aren’t a guarantee when you’re moving. Just like the professionals, you can follow tips and tricks to properly lift and protect your spine. Here are the five ways to save your back when lifting heavy objects.
1. Start Safe
The way you set yourself up to lift will determine how good your form is while you lift. Start safe and with a good base of support! You want to keep your stance/base wide. This will make sure that you’re stable and balanced through you’re entire lift! Keep your feet apart with one foot slightly ahead of the other. Shoulder-width apart, like with exercising, is a good distance for your feet to be. Most people call this the “Karate Stance”!
What else can you do to start safe and learn how to lift heavy objects? There are plenty of ways to protect yourself while lifting (not just your back). Wear gloves and thick shoes to make sure your hands and feet are protected. You can also use a dolly to assist when you’re moving a couch, a dryer, a dresser, or another excessively heavy object.
2. Maintain Proper Posture
Keep your eyes facing forward, your back straight, and don’t slump your shoulders. A big mistake that will hurt later is bending or arching your back to adjust the load you’re carrying or to do the lifting. You should never be slumped forward or bent at the waist, because this stresses your lower back and spinal discs, and you can easily strain your back and give yourself joint pain, muscle soreness, and even a headache.
3. Correct Your Carrying
How you hold your object will determine whether you have an easy time lifting or a harder time. Carrying your load properly will also ensure better back health at the end of the day! Always lift from the bottom of the object or the heaviest part, if you can. So, if you’re lifting a heavy box, lift from the bottom. Also, carry the box or furniture piece as close to your body as you can, specifically at the waist. Both of these tips will help you maintain balance while you’re lifting and moving. And remember, don’t ever lift something heavy above your shoulders if it’s heavy!
4. Use Your Legs
When you’re actually doing the lifting, it’s important to use your legs instead of your back! That’s the usual saying, right? “Lift with your legs!” That’s one of the key things to keep in mind when you’re moving your home. From your starting stand, you should squat to grab the item and lift. Remember to maintain your proper posture while you squat, and only bend at your hips and knees. If squatting is too difficult, or you need better balance to grab your object, you can also kneel. The way that you pick up the object is the same way that you should put it down, as well!
5. Don’t Go Too Fast
Whether you’re lifting, moving, or setting down, it’s important to take it slow. Trying to move faster when doing any part of the lifting can seriously damage your back or cause you to fall. Even if you have to put the object down several times while moving it, it’s better to take it easy than risk your own health. Small steps and slow squats will make the difference to avoid twisting, turning, or torquing your body.
Get Help!
Having trouble moving your furniture, heavy boxes, tables, and other objects? Prevent injury by getting a friend to help you lift. OR, even better, have an expert do it for you! Tropic Moving is professional, local, and ready to lift your furniture – don’t worry about your back anymore!
