If you decided to move by yourself, you need to know what you’re doing. Lifting heavy items can become a huge problem unless you inform yourself about lifting techniques for your move. You might not be aware of it, but many people face serious injuries when lifting. Many things can go wrong when moving. Your Spine can get damaged, knees, hips, your whole body is at risk. In order to avoid this, we have compiled a list of safe lifting techniques that will make sure you go through the process without any consequences.
Leaving your ego at the door is something you must do. There is no need to act like a superman and lift things you know are too heavy or big. We all have our limitations and boundaries that we need to be aware of. You do not want to be that person that gets injured while lifting a box. It’s not a fun experience.
Keeping good posture is key when lifting heavy objects
Shoulders back, chest up and straighten your back. This is the most important of all lifting techniques you can know. In general, it’s a good idea to have good posture no matter what you are doing, but in lifting, it’s key. Especially do this if you are lifting items from the ground. A hunched back is a great way to damage your spine and definitely something you want to avoid if you want your move to be injury free.
Set down the item slowly and with care
If you are trying to put a big, heavy item down make sure to do it slowly. You can get injured putting the item down as much as you can lifting it up. In order to avoid this, do it with care. No rushing is needed people, the item is not going anywhere. If you’re on a schedule, do it another time. Risking injury by doing it fast is not a good idea.
Lift slowly, do not rush it unless you want injuries
Trying to lift something fast is never a good idea. Especially when a big, heavy object is in question. How to lift things when you move? Do it slowly, do not rush anything. We can not stress this enough, if you try to do everything in a fast manner, the chance of injury is greatly increased.
Squat down to pick it up
If you are picking up a heavy object, you must squat down to do so. If you just reach down to pick it up, you can seriously injure your back. The back muscles are a lot smaller than the ones in our legs and much more fragile. Additionally, hurting one of those muscles can leave consequences for your entire life. In order to avoid a moving injury, always squat down and push down with your legs. Your back needs to be straight at this point to minimalize injury potential.
Keep the object close to your body at all times
Lifting items safely for your move is crucial when moving. And keeping the object close to your body at all times is a great way to do so. By doing this, you minimize the chance of the object falling down, and you remove some of the pressure from your back onto your arms. If you hold the object too far away from your body, you can get injured easily. Wondering how to lift safely when moving? Make sure the item is close to you at all times and you’ll be good.
Don’t twist your spine, pivot the feet instead
Once you’ve picked up the object, it’s crucial not to twist your spine. If you need to go in a different direction once the item is in your hands, pivot your feet instead of your spine. This removes pressure and keeps it on your legs which are much stronger than your back. No proper lifting techniques when moving article can go without this tip. Another great way to minimize the chance of injury.
Use your legs to lift heavy objects
Literally, think of it as if you were pushing the earth. As if you were a superhero and are trying to launch and fly away. It’s one of the greatest lifting techniques for your move you can have. Keep the good posture and push away rather than trying to pick it up. Instinctively you will try to pull the item upwards but this is a bad path to thread. Just push down with your legs and let them take the full load of the object.
The half kneeling position
By dropping down on one knee when working in low areas you can make sure not to injure yourself. You can do this if you are emptying out shelves, bookcases and many other things. Using this position is also applicable when packing fragile items for relocation. Do not just squat down as it’s not very comfortable to stay in that position for a longer period of time. Always remember to keep the curve in your back performing any type of movement when lifting or picking up objects.
Use the golfers lift to pick up items
If you are trying to reach something low on the ground you do not need to squat every time. You can use something called the golfers lift. This is not common among lifting techniques for your move as it is more of a convenience type of tip rather than something that can decrease the chance of injury. In order to perform this, extend one of your legs backward from the standing position and reach down with your hand to grab the object. It’s much more easy to do and it keeps your stamina up during your move. Constantly standing up and squatting down can be exhausting and that’s not something we would recommend among lifting techniques for your move.
