Bank Holiday Lift Off! Advice from the BCA

The May bank holiday is here and, with weather conditions improving, it’s a time many of us think about getting out into the garden to do those tidying/improvement jobs. When tackling those heavy outdoor jobs, be careful not to push your body to breaking point.

Take a look at this advice from the British Chiropractic Association

– Always lift using a relaxed, straight back.

– Face the direction in which you want to carry the weight and make sure your legs are at least a hips’ width apart with the knees bent. This will make you more stable.

– Keep your head and shoulders directly above your waist and keep the weight you are carrying as close to you as possible – avoid twisting.

– Avoid bending from the waist as this increases the stress on your lower back.

– Don’t keep your straighten at the knees as this will lead to over-stretching and damage to your back.

– Don’t lift with your arms straight out, keep the elbows bent and to your side to minimise the stress on your back.

Putting the weight down can often cause just as many injuries as lifting it up.

– If possible put the weight on something waist height rather than the floor. If you do have to put it on the floor, try and keep your shoulders, hips and knees pointing in the same direction; bend your knees rather than your back
Don’t forget, it is not just the weight, but the size and shape of an object that can make it hard to carry so, where possible, break loads into smaller and more manageable chunks.