How to Lift Items the Correct Way
Most people have heard that to protect your back while lifting and bending you need to bend your knees. If you have tried this you will have found that taken literally it’s not very practical. Not only is it very hard on your knees especially if you’re doing it repeatedly, but it’s nearly impossible to reach the floor without lifting your heels, which then becomes very unstable or bending your back which defeats the whole purpose.
By lifting the way weightlifters do and bending from the hips you are using the biggest strongest muscles in your body to do the heavy work while your back muscles hold your spine steady, a job that they are designed for.
Recall how an Olympic weightlifter prepares to lift, he settles his feet in position, he bends his knees only a little and rolls them outward slightly then without moving his knees further the “tips from the hips” to reach the weight bar. As he lifts, he might look up slightly and drop his bottom ensuring he takes the weight through his gluteal muscles, not his upper back.
This is a very similar action to that you might use sitting down onto or getting up from a low chair. Indeed, if you were to do only one exercise to help your back then this is the one …. weightlifters’ squats.
Please watch the video for a demonstration on how to perform this activity correctly.
So if you feel as though you would like some assistance in performing this activity or you have pain when doing it please come down to see us at Lakelands and Miami Physiotherapy.
Miami Ph: 9534 4111
Lakelands Ph: 9542 9999
