Tips for Proper Lifting

Whether you’ll be moving out of your house, dealing with storage, or just trying to get rid of that old appliance, we all will have to deal with lifting heavy objects eventually. Many people, however, try to lift things incorrectly, leading to strain on their body or even injury. Follow these tips to help you understand the proper way to lift.

Strategize

Figure out how heavy the object is, where you’re taking it, and the path you’re taking to get there.

Get As Close As You Can to The Object

We’ve all heard the saying, “the shortest distance between two point is a straight line,” and that couldn’t be more pertinent to lifting objects. The nearer you are to the object, the shorter the distance is to lift, therefore the easier it is.

Plant Your Feet

Lifting comes from the legs, so it’s important to have a good base when getting set to pick something up. Make sure your feet are a good distance apart, and make sure they are completely flat on the ground.

Bend From the Knees, Not the Back

Like previously mentioned, lifting is all in the legs. Make sure to use your knees to lift the object, and try to keep your back straight the entire time.

Get Help

If something is just too heavy, it’s not worth it to put a strain on your body. Find someone who can lend you a hand.

If you suffer from back or neck pain, call us right away to make an appointment. Our board-certified New Jersey back and neck pain doctors have years of experience helping New Jersey residents with chronic pain.