Whether you're dragging out suitcases for a vacation of your own, or hauling someone else's overstuffed bags, proper lifting techniques can protect you from a back injury.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these suggestions for packing and lifting luggage:
- Try not to overpack, and opt for suitcases with wheels.
- Be careful when storing your bag overhead. Use both hands to carefully lift the bag over your head.
- Make several trips from the car, rather than carrying too much at once. Ask for help if you need it.
- Lift heavy objects by bending at the knees and using your legs, rather than your waist and back.
- Don't twist your spine as you lift.
Health Tip: You May Have Sprained Your Neck
If you tear a ligament that joins the seven spinal bones in your neck to each other, it's considered a neck sprain. It often occurs when the neck is stretched to an extreme position during a motor vehicle accident or fall.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says possible signs of this injury include:
- Pain, particularly the back of the neck, that worsens when you move.
- Pain that gets worse a day or two after the initial injury.
- Pain and muscle spasms in the upper area of the shoulder.
- Pain in the back part of the head.
- Sore throat, trouble sleeping, feeling fatigued and irritable, and having trouble concentrating.
- Numbness, weakness or a tingling sensation in the hand or arm.
- Stiffness and difficulty moving the neck.
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