Lift heavy objects with care

We often have to lift heavy objects and it is common to hurt your back or strain yourself while doing so. Even picking up a child can cause this and the resulting low back pain can persist for days.

Lifting heavy objects therefore requires a few precautions:

1. Bend your knees, keep your back straight but do not bend. Many think, it is enough to squat when lifting the load, but that is not right. If your back is bent you will get hurt.

2.Your can bend at the waist slightly with your chest a little upright. This standard posture allows the back muscles to function properly. If knees are bent, then the leg and hip muscles help to move heavy items.3.Keep the centre of the heavy object close to your body. It is better to lift a one-gallon water jar close to your chest rather than only using hands.

4. Take help to share the weight. It is not safe to carry large, heavy objects a far distance using your shoulders.

*S M Farhan Bin Hossain is an occupational therapist at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Dhaka