It's Not So Much What You Lift, But How You Lift It

 One of the most common causes of low back injuries is poor lifting form.  Many people with lifting-related injuries assume that the reason they hurt their backs was because they tried to lift something that was too heavy.  In reality, if they used proper lifting form, chances are they would not have been injured, even if they tried to lift something that weighed more than their muscles could lift.

Even a very light object can cause a back injury if  poor lifting form is used.  In fact, just your own body weight is sufficient to cause a back injury if you put it in a mechanically-compromised position – specifically, bending forward at the waist. 

Most people have heard that they should bend their knees when they lift something, but that’s not the whole story.  Even with your knees bent, it is still possible to bend forward at the waist, and it is this position that places the lower spine in jeopardy. 

The picture above shows good lifting form:  bending at the knees with the back straight and the head up.  It can be difficult to know what position you are in while lifting unless you happen to be in front of a mirror though.  One trick that helps ensure that you use proper lifting form is to intentionally “stick your butt out” and keep your upper body as close to perpendicular to the ground (straight up, rather than bent forward) as possible. 

By using proper form, you can safely lift whatever amount of weight your legs and arms can handle without having to worry about your low back.