Millions of us experience a back injury every year. These injuries can be painful and debilitating – and are often not easily treatable. To avoid developing a back injury, it’s important to understand how these injuries occur. Below are 5 of the most common causes of back injuries and how to prevent them.
Doing repetitive manual tasks
Many repetitive manual tasks that involve twisting or reaching overhead can increase the risk of a back injury. If you have a manual labour job like painting or stacking shelves, you may be at risk of these injuries. You can also develop these repetitive strain injuries while doing housework.
It’s important to take regular breaks from any repetitive manual tasks – especially as you start to feel aches setting in. Continuing to work on through pain will likely turn a mild ache into a full blown injury, so listen to your body.
Lifting heavy objects incorrectly
Lifting heavy objects incorrectly is another common cause of back injuries. Back injuries from heavy lifting are a particularly common work-related injury and can be a common reason for filing workplace injury claims. Such injuries can also occur while lifting weights at the gym if you use the wrong form.
Learning how to correctly lift heavy objects can protect your back. This involves squatting down to pick up items while keeping your back straight, rather than bending over at the waist. When performing weight lifting exercises like deadlifts, perfect your form before challenging yourself with heavy weights. Knowing your limits is key to preventing injuries – many people injure themselves while lifting objects because they attempt to lift something too heavy. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when lifting heavy objects and take advantage of any equipment handy such as trolleys or lifts.
Being in a car accident
Back injuries are one of the most common injuries following a car accident. In fact, 58% of people involved in car accidents report some lower back pain afterwards. Whiplash can meanwhile affect the neck and upper back and is also very common.
While not all car accidents are avoidable, many can be prevented by driving carefully. For example, rear end collisions – a common cause of whiplash injuries – can often be prevented by avoiding bad driving habits like braking late or tailgating. Back injuries can often be worse if you’re not wearing a seatbelt. Even if you are only driving a short distance, get into the habit of always strapping yourself in – it could be the difference between a mild injury and a spinal fracture.
Playing sports
Partaking in sports like football, gymnastics and tennis can increase your risk of developing a back injury. This is due to the twisting, jumping and repetitive movements in these sports. Blunt force trauma to the back and injuries as a result of falling over can meanwhile be a risk in contact sports.
Before doing any kind of sport, it’s important to stretch rigorously to help loosen up your muscles and joints. This can help to prevent injuries caused by twisting or pulling. Practising how to fall over can also be important in sports that involve jumping – how you land can greatly affect any damage you may do to your back.
Developing a poor posture
Your posture can also have an impact on your long-term back health. If you slump forward while walking or sitting, you are more likely to develop back pain later in life. This is a form of repetitive strain injury caused by not straightening your back.
Learn to develop a good posture by walking with your head and shoulders back. When sitting down for long periods at a desk, similarly get into the habit of looking straight ahead (making sure that your chair and monitor is at the right height can be vital for encouraging this). Poor posture can sometimes be linked to poor self-confidence – you are more likely to look down if you are shy, while confident people naturally look up. Being tall may also increase the risk of adopting a poor posture due to having to look down to talk to people.
Conclusion
Back injuries can be caused by doing repetitive manual tasks, lifting heavy objects incorrectly, being in a car accident, playing sports or having a poor posture. By being wary of all of these causes of back injuries, you can take steps to prevent them – such as taking breaks from tasks that cause backache, learning to lift heavy objects properly, driving carefully, stretching before sports and adjusting your posture.
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