Holiday Lifting Refresher and Safety Tips
Between lifting the many holiday décor boxes, carrying gift packages from the car, and lifting the heavy turkey from the oven, the holiday season requires quite a lot of bending, lifting, and reaching. If you lift improperly, it can lead to back, shoulder, or neck strain and limit your holiday activities. As we enter the holiday season, it’s critical to review how to lift heavy objects safely and take steps to minimize strain and fatigue during your holiday activities.
Holiday Lifting Tips
As shown in the video above, our physical therapy assistant, Patti, demonstrates how to lift an object correctly and safely as well as several common but incorrect and unsafe ways to lift. When lifting an object, the goal is to place the body in a position that allows the entire musculoskeletal system to work as a cohesive unit without placing excessive strain on one area, like the low back.
Here are 8 holiday lifting tips:
Plan the lifting and carrying job, including assessing the weight of the load, determining a clear path, and removing any potential trip hazards.
Warm-up your muscles and stretch your low back, legs, and hips to get the blood flowing to the muscles of the body. Cold muscles are more prone to injury.
Have a wide, balanced stance with feet shoulder-width apart for a solid base of support.
Stand close to the object to minimize the force to your arms, shoulders, and back needed to lift. Avoid reaching for the object.
Bend from your knees, keeping your back straight as you squat. Use your legs to rise. Do not bend from the waist when lifting as this will strain your back.
As you lift, tighten your core for strength and stability. Keep the load close to your body. The closer the load is to your body, the less force that is placed on your back, reducing the chance of injury.
As you move, maintain alignment between your shoulders and hips. Do not twist and move your feet in the direction you wish to carry the load.
When putting the object down, follow proper technique, bending at the knees and squatting with your back straight as you slowly lower the object to the ground.
Holiday Activities Safety Tips
Many of us can spend hours in the kitchen baking Christmas cookies and cooking delicious Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts. While in the kitchen, wear comfortable shoes with good arch support and use a rubber mat to stand on to reduce stress on your joints. When chopping or scrubbing, be careful not to hunch and use proper lifting technique when lifting dishes out of the oven.
If you are traveling this holiday season, be sure to use the correct lifting technique when lifting your luggage. Bring a back support pillow in the car or plane. Before and during the trip, be sure to stretch your legs and hips and move around as much as you can to prevent tight muscles.
While you’re out shopping, wear supportive shoes with good traction and carry a smaller purse to lighten your load. Don’t carry too many bags at once; instead, make regular trips out to your car to store them.
Lastly, when wrapping gifts, don’t sprawl out on the floor with all of the gifts as this can cause you to reach and strain your back, shoulders, or neck. Sit or stand at a table to wrap gifts and use proper lifting technique when lifting the gift.
This holiday season, stay safe and avoid injury by keeping in mind our holiday safety tips and our holiday lifting refresher!
