Many of us lift things every day and you may never think of it – it’s a normal part of day to day life and we expect ourselves to be able to cope with it. Sometimes, though, we do notice pain and this can originate from many places but the most common point of origin lies in the back. It’s no surprise, as the back supports our entire body and does an awful lot of work in keeping us strong and stable when going about our day to day activities.

Our spines help us lift by coordinating muscles in our back which combine with our upper and lower bodies. When we lift objects you often hear that you should lift with your legs and not with your back, instead keeping your back straight and pushing up with your legs which are more muscular and stronger. This technique is called correct manual handling – it’s how people are taught to lift when it’s part of their job.

If we don’t lift properly then our back is usually the first structure to be compromised. The lower back can experience a stiffening pain which is made worse by sitting and the upper back or middle back can be painful too, the most common area affected is the lower back though. Occasionally, poor lifting can lead to slipped discs. Discs are pads of cartilage in your back which prevent the vertebrae from rubbing, they keep our backs strong and flexible by padding them out with spongy material. These can slip out of alignment, meaning our vertebrae are less stable and flexible. It sounds alarming and it is painful but it is, fortunately, relatively easy to fix.

What Causes Pain From Lifting?

Lifting, whether it be at the gym, at your job, or in your daily life, can be extremely beneficial. Regularly lifting can promote strength, a healthy metabolism, and even good bone health. However, excessive lifting or lifting wrong can create strain to your body, including intense and lasting back pain. Lower back pain can vary in intensity; it can range from a small twitch in the back to unbearable pain. If you have back pain, no matter how severe it is, you need to see a chiropractor today before the pain worsens, creating a long-lasting problem that requires more severe treatment. 

In most cases, pain is caused by poor posture or poor technique when lifting an object, heavy or not. A common saying is “lift with your legs, not your back,” and it is extremely true. Rounding the back is one of the most common problems, and it gets way too much pressure on the ligaments located on the lower part of your spine. It is critical that you lift with your shoulders stable and never overextend the back. Additionally, it is important to keep your shoulders stable and engage your pelvis so that you don’t overextend your back or put too much pressure on your knees. Though the way you lift can severely impact the pain you feel, some other reasons for lower back pain are: 

Herniated disc- The intervertebral disc in your spine works as a shock absorber for the spine when it becomes damaged or ruptured; that is, when you are experiencing a herniated disk. When this happens, the spine has less cushion, and a gel-like substance that leaks out of it can severely affect the nerves around your spine. When experiencing a herniated disk, the pain will start off small, but the longer you go on, the pain will intensify. 

 

Tears and Strains- Your muscles and ligaments in your back are very sensitive and can easily be damaged when lifting. When there is a tear or strain, the pain is intense and will reduce the amount you can move. After a traumatic event or injury, your back needs to be treated right away; the specialists at Advanced Spine and Sports Care can help! 

How Can to Prevent Future Pain From Lifting

While lifting anything, you work muscle groups in your legs, arms, and of course, the back. Though there is no guarantee that you will not experience mild discomfort in the back or any other part of the body, if you take care of what you are lifting and how you are lifting it, the pain will be a simple fix. There are a couple of things that you can do to prepare your back for the stress and strain you will experience while lifting, Some of the things you can do to stop back pain include: 

• Stretching properly before any kind of workout.
• Always use your legs and never use your back when lifting objects heavy or light. 
• Take breaks. Whether it is workouts or at your job, it is essential to take breaks. Without these breaks, you put your back at risk of serious, long-lasting damages. 
• Ask for help if the weight of the object you are attempting to lift is too heavy.

 

If you are experiencing pain while you are lifting, take a break, and come to Advanced Spine and Sports Care. Our team of chiropractic experts will develop a personalized plan so that you can get back on your feet in no time! Are you experiencing mild to severe back pain in Chicago, trust in the #1 chiropractors in the area, and get treated by people that truly care about getting you back on your feet doing the things you love today 

How to Treat Your Pain Caused by Lifting Difficulties

 

 

If you are suffering from pain, even if the pain isn’t too bad, we strongly recommend that you seek the help of the expert specialists at Advanced Spine and Sports Care. Chiropractic care gives you the best chances of eliminating lower back pain caused by lifting and the need for medication and surgical procedures. Our team of spine and sports care specialists will develop a personalized plan for you to help reduce any pain and inflammation that you are experiencing; this will give you relief during your everyday activities. We will work with you on one of the most common techniques, and that is manipulation. Throughout this treatment, we will use specific movements that are designed to free joints in the spine and reduce pain while improving mobility. Not only will we help you through the entirety of your time here with us, but we will also give you once advice on ways that you can prevent future back pain and any damage that may bring on it. Learn what diet you should have and certain exercises to stay away from to keep you back healthy and happy. 

All of these issues in the vast, vast majority of cases are reversible and healable but not without specialist assistance. The individuals who have specific expertise in these broad areas of our anatomy are chiropractors. Chiropractor’s expertise lies in biomechanics – the parts of our body like bones and muscles which coordinate and move. They’re also experts in neurology and the nervous system. Between these faculties, chiropractors can efficiently prescribe techniques to help heal your back issues. These include disc realignments, where vertebrae are carefully manipulated into the correct places.

Chiropractors also know how the nervous system interacts with the spine and they can encourage nerves to decompress from their surrounding tissues, in turn reducing swelling, inflammation and ultimately, pain. Chiropractors can encourage the body’s natural healing process too, by encouraging the flow of blood and nutrients to a problem area. Often, when a part of our body is injured and the tissues compress in an area like the back, the body doesn’t adequately provide nutrients to help us heal because the tissues are squeezed together. By decompressing them, chiropractors can relieve this symptomatic result of joint and muscle pain.

If you’ve experience trouble lifting and your back hurts and it becomes a chronic issue then early intervention is key. If you keep trying to lift with a misaligned back then permanent damage could ensue. Early manipulation is key to rejuvenate the back before damage occurs as for the most part, pain in stiffness in the back is easily rectified with the assistance of a professional chiropractor. Chiropractic practice has improved leaps and bounds in the 21st century and it’s a heavily researched form of physiotherapy that can vastly improve joint and muscle issues.

Call us today for a free consultation regarding your lifting pain or lifting issues!