Which practice is correct when lifting to prevent injury?

Which practice is correct when lifting to prevent injury?

• A. Lift by straightening your legs
• B. Lift by bending at the waist
• C. Twist your torso while lifting
• D. Jerk the load upward

Answer: (A)

When lifting something heavy, use your legs to do the work and keep your spine neutral. Start with a stable stance, bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself to the load, keep the back straight, and then push through your legs to stand up, keeping the load close to your body as you rise. This uses the strong muscles of the legs and reduces the stress on the back, helping prevent injury. Bending at the waist places most of the load on the spine, twisting while lifting creates harmful torque, and jerking the load upward can generate dangerous, sudden forces. So the safest, most effective practice is to lift by straightening your legs.

When lifting something heavy, use your legs to do the work and keep your spine neutral. Start with a stable stance, bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself to the load, keep the back straight, and then push through your legs to stand up, keeping the load close to your body as you rise. This uses the strong muscles of the legs and reduces the stress on the back, helping prevent injury. Bending at the waist places most of the load on the spine, twisting while lifting creates harmful torque, and jerking the load upward can generate dangerous, sudden forces. So the safest, most effective practice is to lift by straightening your legs.