Back injury is best avoided at all costs. After the first time you have injured your back, it becomes more vulnerable to future injury. A back injury can alter your entire quality of life and possibly your livelihood, especially if it returns or becomes chronic.
Poor lifting technique can injure your back in various ways:
- Muscle or ligament strain—or tiny tears in the muscle or ligament—commonly results from a combination of poor body mechanics and too much of a burden on your back muscles.
- Spinal disc injury is often caused by forward bending of the spine and poor lifting technique. A spinal disc that is squeezed by the vertebrae above and below it can bulge or break open (herniated disc), causing back and leg pain and numbness (sciatica) and occasionally bowel and bladder problems.
- Vertebrae can become damaged during awkward lifting.
Test Your Knowledge
Poor lifting technique can cause an injury to the muscle, spinal discs, or bone.
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The back is a complex system of bone and connective tissue, any or all of which can be injured by poor lifting practices.
- This answer Incorrect
The back is a complex system of bone and connective tissue, any or all of which can be injured by poor lifting practices.
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How can I lift without hurting my back?
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Back problems: Proper lifting
Last Updated: February 3, 2010 Follow these basic rules to protect your back while lifting:
- Keep a wide base of support. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly ahead of the other (karate stance).
- Squat down, bending at the hips and knees only. If necessary, put one knee to the floor and your other knee in front of you, bent at a right angle (half kneeling).
- Maintain good posture. Look straight ahead, and keep your back straight, your chest out, and your shoulders back. This helps keep your upper back straight while maintaining a slight arch in your lower back.
- Slowly lift by straightening your hips and knees (not your back). Keep your back straight, and don't twist as you lift.
- Hold the load as close to your body as possible, at the level of your belly button.
- Use your feet to change direction, taking small steps.
- Lead with your hips as you change direction. Keep your shoulders in line with your hips as you move.
- Set down your load carefully, squatting with the knees and hips only.
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proper lifting technique 
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Test Your Knowledge
Safe lifting is intuitive—we do it without thinking about it.
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People tend to lean over and lift with their backs. However easy it may be to do, this can lead to injury. Take time for conscious thought to stop, plan, and lift safely.
- This answer is Correct
People tend to lean over and lift with their backs. However easy it may be to do, this can lead to injury. Take time for conscious thought to stop, plan, and lift safely.
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Where can I get more information about healthy back body mechanics?
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