Did you know that your everyday activities can influence your physical fitness? Any healthy lifestyle must necessarily include as many activities that involve the basic bodily moments – squat, stretch, bend and reach. These may sound like typical exercise routine elements, but the fact is, that they are vital body movements that preserve your bone and muscle health. One of the most commonly occurring things in many people’s lives is the lack of movement: and a sedentary lifestyle.
Consequently, many people wind up injuring their backs when they bend down to try and lift something heavy – and these injuries are even more common when people are above thirty. Here are some of the things you can do to help yourself in such situations:

1. Try to avoid bending and lifting heavy things as much as possible. If you have things that you have to store around your space, it’s a wiser thing to store it on top of counters, or on shelves that may be overhead or at shoulder-level. This will help you avoid bending over and lifting heavy stuff.
2. If you simply must bend down, or lift something by bending over, here are a few things you should be doing:
o Stand close to the heavy object, ideally as closest as you can
o Spread your feet wide as though you are ready to squat
o Squat down till you reach the object, while keeping your feet on the floor.
o Bend over, but do not bend from your back and waist – rather, let your legs propel your bending motion.
o If you are lifting something heavy, perhaps a box or a suitcase, put one foot next to the thing you’re lifting, and one leg behind the thing. Hold onto it with your fingers and your palms, and begin lifting it.
o As you stand up and begin lifting the object, straighten up your legs and stand up.
o Always make sure that your back is straight all the time while you are lifting the heavy object – don’t hunch over.
o Once you hold the object and stand up, and turn your whole body if you want to change direction, so that you don’t have to bend from your waist while you are actually physically carrying the load.
3. When you are putting something down, you should follow the process backwards.
Always give your back the priority and ensure that you follow all of these pointers even if you are not lifting something heavy. Don’t use your back as a lever, rather, make your legs the propulsion to help you squat, bend and lift things. Once you practice this as a regular exercise, you will find your back functioning healthily.

References:
http://healthmeup.com/news-healthy-living/the-right-way-to-bend-and-lift-objects/15041469

Picture Courtesy : webmd