Back Safety

1
Back Safety
2
objectives

• Understanding the anatomy of the back
• Common causes of back injuries
• How to prevent back injuries

3
Back Problems

• Back injuries are said to cause more days missed
  from work after the common cold.
• Back injuries are said to take up at least 15 of
  days taken for sick leave
• For 85 of back pain sufferers, the primary site
  of injury is the lower lumbar spine.

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Your Spine Is Your Lifeline!

• It supports the weight of your neck
• It provides stability to the rib cage
• 5 of the vertebrae carry all the weight of the
  torso
• 9 vertebrae are attached to the pelvis

5
Back Muscles

• Extensors help with standing and lifting
• Flexors help with flexing, bending forward and
  arching the lower back
• Obliques help with spine rotation and proper
  posture

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How to hurt your back

• Using Poor Body Mechanics
• Lifting
• Twisting
• Reaching
• Working with weak and fatigued muscles
• Sitting or standing in one position for a long
  period of time

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Protect Your Back

• Get help when lifting heavy objects

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PROTECT YOUR BACK

• Avoid twisting at the waist while lifting or
  carrying a heavy load

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PROTECT YOUR BACK

• Pay attention to how you reach and
  liftespecially over your head, across a table,
  or out the back of a truck

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PROTECT YOUR BACK

• Move around and change position often.
• Avoid abnormal stress on the curves of the spine

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Prevent Back Injuries

• Avoid lifting and bending whenever you can
• Place objects up off the floor
• Raise/lower shelves
• Use carts, dollies, or the buddy system
• Break the load down into smaller loads if
  possible
• Test the weight before lifting by picking up a
  corner

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The right way to lift

• Take a balanced stance
• Feet should be shoulder-width apart
• Squat down to lift, get as close as you can
• Bend your knees, not your waist
• Keep your stomach muscles tight
• Lift with your legs, hips, and abdomen, and NOT
  with your back.

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Other ways to help your back

• Exercisea little goes a long way
• Try to sit and stand straight
• Be realistic about what you can carry
• Use smart lifting techniques

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Exercises To Help Your Back

• Wall slides will strengthen your muscles . . . .
• Stand with your back
• against a wall, feet
• shoulder-width apart.
• Slide down into a crouch
• with knees bent to 90 degrees.
• Count to 5 and slide back up
• the wall. Repeat 5 times.

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Exercises To Help Your Back

• Leg raises to strengthen back and hip muscles . .
  .
• Lie on your stomach.
• Tighten muscles in one leg and raise leg from
  floor.
• Hold for count of 10, and return leg to floor.
• Do the same with your other leg.
• Repeat five times with each leg.

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Exercises To Help Your Back

• Leg raises to strengthen back and hip muscles
• Lie on back, arms at your sides. Lift one leg
  off floor and hold for count of ten. Do the same
  with the other leg. Repeat 5 times with each
  leg. If this is too difficult
• keep one knee bent
• and the foot flat on
• the floor while raising
• the other leg.

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Exercises To Help Your Back

• Leg raises while seated . . .
• Sit upright, legs straight
• and extended at an angle
• to floor. Lift one leg waist
• high. Slowly return to
• floor. Do the same with
• the other leg.
• Repeat 5 times with
• each leg.

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Exercises To Help Your Back

• Partial sit-up to strengthen stomach muscles . .
  . .
• Lie on back, knees bent and feet flat on
  floor. Slowly raise head and shoulders off floor
  and reach both hands toward your knees. Count to
  10. Repeat 5 times.

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Exercises To Help Your Back

• Back leg swing to strengthen hip and back muscles
  . . .
• Stand behind chair, hands
• on chair. Lift one leg back
• and up, keeping the knee
• straight. Return slowly.
• Raise other leg and return.
• Repeat 5 time with each leg.

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Exercises To ease Back strain

• Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor.
• Raise knees toward chest.
• Place hands under knees pull knees to chest.
  
• Do not raise head.
• Do not straighten legs
• as you lower them.
• Start with 5 repetitions,
• several time a day.

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Exercises To ease Back strain

• Lie on stomach, hands under shoulders, elbows
  bent and push up. Raise top half of body as high
  as possible. Keep hips and legs on floor. Hold
  for one or two seconds. Repeat 10 times, several
  times a day.

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Exercises To ease Back strain

• Stand with feet apart.
• Place hands in small of
• back. Keep knees straight.
• Bend backwards at waist
• as far as possible and hold
• for one or two seconds.
• Repeat as needed.

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Remember

• Once your back is injured, there is no quick fix.
• Its better to avoid an injury if you can.
• Keep your back strong with exercise and good
  working techniques.