For a normal life of any person, it is important that he is healthy. This also applies to the spine. Sometimes people simply don’t know how to lift and move weights, which is traumatic for intervertebral discs.
According to statistics, every third person in the world has problems with the spine, and as a result of this, disability appears. It all depends not only on how much those things that we raise weigh.
When do you have to lift heavy objects?
There are many types of activities where you have to lift and move weights. For example, this includes the work of the seller, who in one working day carries a lot of goods of varying severity.
Girls who have already become mothers raise their children in their arms, and a child at the age of one year sometimes already weighs more than ten kilograms. Also, many have to regularly carry heavy bags of groceries.
Even if you consider that you can reach the house from the store by car, you will have to carry heavy bags to the vehicle, and then from the car to the house. Sometimes this is enough to affect the development or exacerbation of osteochondrosis, as well as radiculitis.
According to experts, the intervertebral disc located in the lumbar can cope with a load of more than 400 kilograms per centimeter. That is, a person is able to lift such a large weight, and at the same time the spine will cope with this. Proof of this are professional weightlifting athletes, as well as the most common movers. It all depends on how to properly lift weights. We will talk about this later.
Why follow the rules
Few people think that there are certain rules on how to lift weights. But one rule is familiar to many from childhood, that you can’t carry heavy loads, otherwise you can rip off your back. And who generally listened and understood what this statement warns about? You need to not only listen to the warnings of your loved ones, but also take care of your back yourself.
This does not mean that you can only lift objects with a very light weight, you must definitely learn how to properly lift weights, as well as how to move and lower. If you do not follow the basic rules, unpleasant consequences may appear.
The consequences of improper lifting
The most common consequences of weight lifting are:
- backache;
- spinal diseases;
- radiculitis;
- hernia;
- phlebeurysm;
- the female has a prolapse of the uterus.
It is bad if the spinal muscles are already in a weakened state. Then weight lifting can be completely impossible. At the very beginning of work with weight lifting, listen to your own feelings. If there are difficulties, pain, then there is the likelihood of serious health problems or non-compliance with the rules when lifting and moving objects.
How to lift heavy objects?
How to lift weights so as not to harm your own back and lumbar region, which gets the biggest load? Do this with your legs! It is necessary to make such a lift so that the greatest weight of the raised weight acts on the muscles of the legs, thereby removing the exorbitant load from the spine and lower back. If you lift an object without following the rules, you can not only get injured, but also earn a stretch.
Consider the main recommendations that a person lifting weights can use to reduce the load on his back and not harm his own health.
Take a steady pose
Legs are best placed shoulder width apart, with one leg a little more forward than the other. If required, you can change the position of the legs to achieve the most stable position. Make sure that clothes and shoes are comfortable and do not constrain movements. Squat, hold a heavy object against your body, while keeping your back in a straight position and start to get up.
When lowering, bend your legs only at the knees and hips. If required, you can rest one knee on the floor, and leave the second in an unbent position, so that the weight of your own body and object are equally distributed.
Do not forget to keep an even posture
Direct your gaze in front of you, keep your back straight, push your chest forward slightly, straighten your shoulders. When lifting, moving and lowering the load, the spine should always be in a straight position. In this case, the weight will be distributed equally and there will be no problems. This applies to both weightlifting and its transfer.
Get up, slowly, gradually straighten your hips and knees (you can not lean back). Keep your back as even as possible. You can deviate only towards a heavy object.
Keep your weight as close to you as possible
If possible, it is best to keep the load at the navel level. The load must be distributed on two hands. The closer the center of gravity of the subject is to the back, the less effort is required to maintain an even posture. If you bend your back, then the load on the intervertebral disc in the lower back increases twenty times. If the load is irregular in shape, then try to hold it in such a way that the heaviest part is located at maximum close to the body, approximately at the height of the belt.
If you need to move the load, move in small steps. If this is possible, it is better to divide a heavy object into smaller components.
Some recommendations
- If you don’t know how to properly move weights, use these guidelines. It is best not to carry a heavy bag or any other load in just one hand. In particular, this rule must be observed if you need to move the weight over a considerable distance. Take the opportunity and share the load so that you can carry it in two hands at once. No trifles can be ruled out. For example, if you need to transfer a lot of products in a t-shirt bag, position your hands so that the back of your hand looks forward. If you place your hands in this way, the least harm will be done to the back, because the muscles of the entire torso will help.
- Hold the load in two hands. Especially if you need to hold it for a long time. Due to this, the load is equally distributed on the back. The load on the spine will become much less.
- Moving heavy objects over long distances is most convenient on the back, rather than using your hands. The best option for carrying cargo can be a backpack. It helps the load evenly affect the spine, lumbar and shoulders, so the chance of injury is much less.
- Do not move heavy weight while holding it on your shoulder. The best option is a bag equipped with wheels, or a simple backpack. Moving heaviness on the ground and on wheels is much easier. But in this case, remember that when lifting the bag on wheels, for example, in transport, it is better to first lift it on the bandwagon, holding the posture straight. But if you try to pull in the load, bending strongly, then the load on the back increases many times. In addition, it is more convenient to push the load, and not drag it from behind.
In order to know how to properly lift a woman, you need to understand that the female body is different from the male. There are certain rules. According to safety precautions, during continuous work, the female sex can be lifted no more than 7 kg per lift.
If you do not know how to properly lift weights, then just use the recommendations, and then there will be no problems with your back.