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Long-Term Effects of Heavy Lifting

Heavy lifting can be a hazardous task. Aside from being immediately difficult, the long-term effects can be permanently destructive. The effects of heavy lifting often extend beyond the individual and affect the workplace. With this in mind, it is important to understand the many aspects of heavy lifting and how to prevent long-term problems.

  1. Long-Term Effects

    • The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) reports that chronic back pain is a frequent problem from long-term heavy lifting. The World Health Organization explains that these back injuries are brought about by things like "wear and tear of ligaments," tendon problems and muscle spasm. These problems cause chronic discomfort. However, workers often ignore them because the symptoms may not always be severe or impairing.

    Economic Effects

    • Heavy lifting has significant economic impacts. According to the CCOHS, thousands of workers are permanently disabled every year because of back injuries from heavy lifting. The WHO reports that "In industrialized countries, about one-third of all health-related absences are from work due to musculoskeletal disorders." Back injuries account for 60 percent of these problems.

    Mechanics

    • The premise behind long-term heavy lifting injuries is quite simple. The WHO explains that if the load is heavier than what the muscles and skeletons can support, it puts a strain on the body. For example, lifting a 200 lb. object will overload the musculoskeletal system of an average adult. However, that same object will not be a problem for a professional bodybuilder, since his muscles are perfectly capable of lifting that kind of weight. The CCOH explains that even heavy lifting at a moderate pace can cause injury over time.

    Prevention

    • When lifting a heavy object, keep the following techniques in mind. First, assess the load and develop a lifting strategy. Get as close to the object as possible before lifting it. Make sure you have solid footing, and avoid lifting anything that obscures your feet or vision. Never twist around when lifting. Do not lift suddenly, like a jerking motion. Instead, make the action smooth and slow. Lift with your knees, not your back. To do this, crouch down with your knees and keep your back straight, then lift by standing back up. Get help from someone whenever possible, or use a tool, such as a cart or dolly. If there is a lot of heavy lifting to do, try spacing it out between other, lighter tasks so that your body can rest. Finally, try not to carry the load for more than 10 feet.

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