One of the stresses of moving is that it always involves having to lift heavy boxes, which if you’re not careful, can cause serious damage to your body! This is also one of the biggest causes of back injury in the workplace, so you’ll be able to transfer our handy tips for lifting heavy boxes to all aspects of your life and help you avoid an injury.
Firstly, always have a think before you start lifting. It’s important you have a clear path to move your box so removing objects out of the way makes the process much easier. Moreover, you should be wearing suitable footwear, as footwear such as heels or flip flops are unsafe and it is also a good idea to have a little stretch to reduce the risk of pulling a muscle.
Then, when you are ready to lift your box always try to keep it as close to your waist as possible as the distance between the box and spine at waist height will seriously affect your spine and back muscles if this is not done correctly. Make sure to keep the heaviest side of the box close to your body too!
Another important factor when lifting heavy boxes is to make sure you adopt a stable position, with your feet apart, and one leg forward a little to keep your balance during and after the lift. Once the box is lifted, DO NOT BEND YOUR BACK. A very slight bend is a-okay, but anything more than this can cause a lot of damage.
Finally, know your limits! If you think a box is too heavy, it’s probably because it is. Know when you can lift a box, and when you can safely lift a box as there is a huge difference!
If you follow all of our tips, you’re sure to have a back injury free, successful moving period and you can share these tips in your workplace too.
