Toronto Health Blog

Scenario: the office water cooler is empty, again. Who is going to volunteer to change it? Confidently, you step forward and grab a full container, hoisting it up onto the cooler. However, you begin to wonder if your helpfulness is worth the searing pain that is now spreading across your back.

Background: the spine is made up of a number of bones called vertebrae, and between each pair of vertebrae, lies a disc. The bones of the spine are connected by joints, which are held together by ligaments and are surrounded by muscles that move these joints. All these structures work together to make us flexible while spreading out the many forces placed on the spine during our daily activities (e.g. lifting). Too much pressure on a small area of the back and spine can result in injury. Injuries can affect the muscles, ligaments, joints, discs, and nerves of the spine. The end result is often stiffness and pain, which can be localized to the back or may even radiate down into the buttocks and legs.

Practicing safe lifting techniques can go a long way in saving you from back injuries. The back is the most common area injured at work, and about two-thirds of back injuries in the workplace occur as a result of improper lifting. Most importantly, it is estimated that as many as 89 per cent of workplace lifting injuries are preventable.

Lift light and carry right using back-safe lifting techniques.

1. Stand close to the load being lifted.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Keep your back straight with your feet and body facing in the same direction.
4. Squat down to the level of the object and test the weight of the load.
5. Use the strength of your leg and arm muscles to slowly lift the load.
6. Keep the load close to your body. Always avoid twisting.
7. Pivot with your feet to turn and face the intended direction of travel.
8. Bend your knees and slowly lower the load to its intended place again keeping your lower back straight.
9. Try not to lift heavy objects above your waist.

In Canada, almost 16 million workdays are lost due to injuries each year. That is the equivalent of one year of work for about 67,000 people! Health Canada has estimated that musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain, cost society $16.4 billion in combined direct (treatment and rehabilitation) and indirect (lost productivity) costs. Unfortunately, the effects of workplace back injuries extend far beyond the plant or office.

Doctors of Chiropractic are back care specialists, who offer drug-free, hands-on treatment that targets the source of your pain. They can also provide you with advice and exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles in order to promote efficiency and productivity.

Where workplace injuries are concerned, prevention is the key to success. Lift carefully and correctly using the tips above, listen to your body, and let your chiropractor help get you back to work safely.

The gardening season has been thrust upon us quite early this year. Gardening can be fun, but it is heavy lifting that is no easy, or necessarily, painless feat. The following back safe tips can help you move those daunting loads from one side of your property to the other with or without a partner.

Safe lifting on your own.

1. Stand close to the load to be lifted.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Keep your back straight.
4. Squat down to the object’s level and test the weight of the load.
5. Use the strength of your leg and arm muscles to smoothly and slowly lift the load.
6. Keep the load close to your body.
7. Pivot to turn and face the intended direction of travel. Proceed with the load.
8. Avoid twisting your body while carrying the load.
9. Bend your knees and slowly lower the load to its intended place.

Lifting objects from high places with a partner.

1. Stand on a secure platform or sturdy ladder with a helper nearby.
2. Slowly lift the load, keeping it close to your body.
3. Pass the load to your helper, or safely rest the object at a slightly lower level, as you work your way back down to the ground.

Approximately 80 per cent of Canadians will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Add this to our stressful schedules and work-related back injuries, and we have a virtual back pain epidemic.

Our inactive lifestyle is damaging our backs. Many of us spend our days driving or hunched in front of computers and personal devices, often without any postural support. Studies show that sitting puts significantly more pressure on the joints and discs of the spine than either standing or walking. After all, our bodies were built to move.

We spend upwards of 21 billion dollars annually on back pain products, including over-the-counter pain medication. Yet, amazingly, most people wait up to six months to seek treatment, while 30 per cent do nothing at all in the hope that the back pain will eventually go away. I get comments quite often such as: I should have come to see you earlier.

Nearly one third of back pain cases last longer than a month and a significant portion become chronic and persist for months to years. Research suggests that back pain treatments are most effective in the acute and early stage, and that the longer the problem is allowed to linger, the more difficult and lengthy the healing process may be.

Try to keep in touch with your body and the symptoms you are having. Try to be preventative rather than waiting for something to happen. Remember, doctors of chiropractic are specialists, who provide drug-free, hands-on treatment that targets the source of your pain.

Are the physical requirements of daily activities becoming a chore? Well, simple stretching exercises can go a long way to relieve muscle pain while improving your flexibility and mobility. Consider the following activities to find out if you would benefit from a fitness regimen that incorporates flexibility as a component.

Flexibility Quiz

Have you recently experienced difficulty with any of the following:

1. Getting out of bed in the morning?
2. Climbing up or down stairs?
3. Rising from a seated position?
4. Getting in or out of your car?
5. Bending down to put on your socks or tie your shoes?
6. Keeping up with your friends or kids while walking or during other activities?
7. Reaching to retrieve an item from a high shelf?
8. Turning your head to shoulder check while driving?
9. Buttoning your shirt or fastening your bra?
10. Participating in your regular recreational activities?

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, you may be losing valuable flexibility. It is important to develop a program that is both safe and effective with the help of a qualified health care professional. It is never too late to develop or maintain a healthy level of flexibility.

Slow, repeated stretching decreases resistance in muscles and connective tissues, leading to improved mobility and decreased muscle soreness. Recent research suggests that stretching before exercise or a physical activity is as important as doing so afterwards.

Remember, Doctors of Chiropractic are specialists, who understand how your bones, muscles, joints and nerves work together to keep you flexible and functioning on a day to day basis. They can also provide you with advice and exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles so you can stay healthy and active. : )