The #1 Lifting Mistake
How To Lift Safely
If you have osteoporosis, your lower back (lumbar spine) is the most vulnerable to fracture.
Spinal fractures—called vertebral compression fractures—happen about 1.5 million times each year in the U.S.
They’re almost twice as common as hip or wrist fractures.
These breaks can be caused by a fall.
But people with osteoporosis can suffer a fracture from everyday things like reaching, twisting, coughing, or even sneezing!
That’s why learning how to move and lift safely really matters.
JUST ONE THING
Knowing how to safely bend over to pick something up is extremely important for anyone with low bone density.
Your JUST ONE THING to lift safely
“Hips Below Shoulders”
It doesn’t matter if you’re lifting a pencil or a 45 pound bag of dog food.
This one principal can help protect your spine.
It will SAVE YOU from unnecessary back pain.
Whether you’re bending over or reaching down to grab something, it helps so much to think “hips below shoulders”.
I’ve moved houses at least 10 times in the last 18 years (without a moving company!), and this trick has saved my back every time.
How to Lift Safely to Prevent Back Injury
- Get as straight on with the object as possible, having it close to your body (you should nearly be touching it, if possible!).
- Then get your hips down, chest up and push through your legs to lift.
Extra Tip: This “hips below shoulders” technique applies to both squatting down and bending over (as with a hip hinge or deadlift) . This video shows the importance of both. Practice both squatting and hip hinging in your workouts, eventually adding heavy resistance so that your hip and core muscles get much stronger.
Did You Know...
- Practice “hips below shoulders” in everyday tasks like picking up laundry, putting on socks, or petting your dog. This helps retrain your natural movements and create new muscle memory so that you’ll naturally move safely as you go about your day.
- Flexible hips make it easier to bend without needing to flex at your spine. So be sure to stretch them often!
- Even light things, like a pencil, can lead to injury if your spine is weak. That’s because you’re also lifting the weight of your upper body. Good technique matters!
Until next week... Be strong💪
