Back Safety

 BACK SAFETY AWARENESS

A healthy back can save you a lot of pain and increase the quality of your life.
Back Safety Facts      - Back injuries afflict more than 1 million workers each year.
      - Back injuries account for 1 out of every 5 workplace injuries.
      - 4 out of every 5 back injuries occur to the lower back.
      - Most occur when lifting or lowering an item.  (Lifting Safety)
Common Causes of Back Pain      - Poor Posture (sitting, standing and sleeping)
      - Physical Conditioning (weak abdominal and leg muscles can contribute to
        back pain)
      - Tension and Stress (Tense and knotted muscles lead to imbalances)
      - Age (as we get older, disks and cartilage in your back weakens)
      - Disease (osteoarthritis, bone spurs)
      - Trauma (Impact trauma like a car accident, Repetitive trauma like frequent
         lifting)
Maintaining a Healthy BackGood Posture in all positions is critical.
      - Keep bones and joints in proper alignment
      - Support your lower back when sitting
      - Keep your feet flat on the floor when sitting
Movement  - Don’t get stuck in one position
      - Don’t stay in one position for more than 20 minutes.
      - Keep moving and give muscles a break with microbreaks every 15 minutes
      - Stretching is great to help maintain a healthy back and avoid injury.Exercise
      - Walking, Biking, Jogging, Swimming are all ways to strengthen back muscles.
      - Basketball and other outdoor sports are great.
      - Simple exercises done at home or work like sucking in your stomach or
        pulling your knee up to your chest can all help protect your back.
      - Keeping the abdominal and leg muscles fit can help protect your lower back.
ACTIONS:      - Stop and Review your posture.  Is it correct?
      - Use caution when lifting heavy or awkward boxes or items
      - Start doing simple exercises to improve your fitness.