Christmas is coming! That means you’ll be buying big, expensive, heavy gifts and lugging them all over the place. Here are some tips to help you lug them safely and efficiently, avoiding the need for emergency visits to the chiropractor.
Squat, don’t bend. When lifting a heavy item off the floor, like that new jackhammer you’re thinking of buying for your wife, or even a bag with handles (no, I’m not referring to your wife, stop thinking that way), bend your knees, not your waist. A healthy spine has a forward curve in the lower back which absorbs pressure like a spring, preventing disc injury and spinal misalignment. When you bend over, the natural forward curve straightens and reverses, losing its protective spring-like action. The natural forces of the body, compounded by lifting a heavy object while in that bent over position, push the vertebrae and the disc material toward the rear, causing risk of vertebral misalignment and disc herniation. So, squat, don’t bend over, to maintain the forward curve and protect your back from injury.
Keep the load close to your body. Avoid arms-length lifting, or any lifting not close to or touching your body. If you hold a 10-pound weight (think of that bowling ball you want to buy for your newborn…or just think of your newborn) only 10- inches from your body, the strain on your lumbar discs increases by one hundred times. So, when lifting and carrying those holiday bowling balls, babies or buzz saws, the closer you hold the item to your body, the better. Hugging it is best. Especially the baby. Beware the buzz saw.
So far, we’ve got you down to floor level without injury to pick up Uncle Bob’s new industrial mop and bucket gift set. Can’t you just picture it under the tree? Now, to get both you and the Christmas treasure safely into an upright position, you must…
Keep your head level. Raise your chin and look straight ahead while you lift. Let’s say you’re buying your husband that 15 pound collectors edition set of marbles that he’s dreamed about since he was eight years old. Once you squat down and get a grasp on whatever container something like that would come in, raise your head before you lift . Again, it’s to keep the forward curve in your low back. For purposes of education and enlightenment, it’s okay to attempt the following procedure at home: squat down and look straight ahead. Be aware of the forward low back curve. Now tilt you head down. You can feel the curve straighten out. Now look straight ahead again. You can feel the curve come back. Just know that when the curve straightens, your back is more easily injured. So, keep your chin up and don’t lose your marbles.
Balance the load. If you’re carrying one bulky item, like, say, a bag of potatoes (would you really consider giving a bag of potatoes at Christmas?) hug it close to your belly. But if you’re giving a bag of potatoes, you may as well give a bag of flour, too. So, balance the load with one bag under each arm or in each hand. One-sided stress to your body will cause injury much quicker than will a balanced stress. What if you want to bless your mother-in-law this happy holiday season with 5-gallon buckets of paint? The safest way to lift something like that is to bend your knees with your back straight and head level. If there’s just one bucket, straddle it between your legs, grab the handle with both hands and come straight up, using your legs to lift. Bend your elbows and keep the bucket close to you while you walk. With two buckets, start the same way, and with a bucket positioned at each side, grab a handle in each hand, keeping the load balanced while you keep your head level and lift with your legs.
Keep your nose between your toes. Let your imagination run wild on that one for a moment…no, never mind, don’t. This is a cute way of saying don’t twist while lifting or carrying a heavy Christmas turkey from the store to the car to the house. Again, for personal edification, it’s safe to attempt the following procedure at home: Stand normally. Look down at the natural outward flare of your feet. They are pointing away from each other at maybe a 30 to 40 degree angle. While lovingly holding that luscious turkey in your arms (I’m talking about Christmas dinner, not about your husband) you should never twist your torso so that your nose would point outside the angle formed by your toes. Just turn your feet and body to face your target (to pick up or put down, not to punch someone). Twisting with a load puts undue strain on the intervertebral discs and again, increases the likelihood of injury. In fact, one of the riskiest combinations for spinal injury is bending and twisting while lifting.
Let’s review. Here are the keys to happiness, success and safety during the Christmas season: Squat, don’t bend. Keep the load close. Keep your head level. Balance the load. Keep your nose between your toes. Caress the bag. Love the turkey. Don’t lose your marbles.
But, guess what? These rules work all year long. So, stay safe, healthy, happy and blessed throughout the Christmas season and the coming year!