Back injury prevention

Most of you have probably heard that in order to lift safely, you must lift properly. "Bend your knees not your back," and "don't twist as you lift" is good advice, but there are many other actions you can take to help you lift properly, according to Toolboxtopics.com:

* Get as close to the load as possible. The further the load is from the center line of your body, the greater the strain imposed on your back.
* Avoid picking up heavy objects placed below your knees. Try to see that heavy objects are placed and stored above knee level and below shoulder level.
* Keep your back straight. Don't bend at the waist when reaching to lift an object. Keep the natural arch in your lower back, which distributes the load evenly over the surface of spinal disks.
* Glue your hand to your thigh. If you carry a load in one hand, place your free hand on the outside of your thigh and mentally "glue" it into position. This will help you maintain correct back alignment rather than lifting and tilting to one side.
* Tighten your stomach muscles. This technique helps prevent your spine from twisting.
* Stretch and loosen up before work. A few minutes of stretching can warm up cold stiff muscles and tendons and help you avoid injury. All professional athletes know this -- "industrial athletes" should too!