Whether it’s stacking shelves or delivering goods to customers, people dealing with heavy loads should pay close attention to their posture to avoid back injuries.
Lifting with a curved back, in contrast, is a quick route to back pain, warn experts who deal with people lifting heavy loads for a living.
Ralf Schick, head of the physical burdens unit at Germany’s Association for Trade and Goods Logistics (BGHW), says poor posture while lifting often leads to a slipped disc.
The big take-away message is that people who lift for a living should always keep their backs straight during the process.
This allows the back muscles, buttocks, abdomen and legs to share the burden.
Loads should be approached front-on, and get as close to the load as possible.
Both feet should be planted firmly on stable ground. Use trolleys where available, and don’t be shy of asking colleagues for help. – dpa
