Injuries Caused by Heavy Lifting and How To Treat Those Injuries
Lifting heavy items, whether at work, at the gym, or during a move, can pose a risk to your physical health. Heavy lifting can strain the back muscles, spine, wrists, and shoulders, potentially leading to injury.
Below, you’ll find the most common injuries caused by heavy lifting, as well as the treatments available to help you make a full recovery.
The Main Injuries Caused by Heavy Lifting
Back and Spinal Injuries
The back and spine are highly susceptible to injury when you’re lifting heavy objects. Excessive pressure may be put on the spine while lifting, potentially straining or tearing the back muscles. Lifting extremely heavy objects could also lead to herniated spinal discs or pinched spinal nerves, which may require a more lengthy recovery process. Chiropractic care focuses on the spine and can be particularly effective in treating these types of injuries.
Shoulder Injuries
The shoulders may also be strained when you’re lifting something heavy, making them vulnerable to injury. A rotator cuff tear is an injury affecting the muscles and tendons around the shoulder joint, and it can reduce mobility in the shoulder. Shoulder impingement is an injury that occurs when the rotator cuff is pinched in between the ball of the shoulder joint and the shoulder blade. Both of these shoulder injuries are common among people who commonly lift heavy objects.
Wrist Injuries
If your wrists are poorly positioned when you lift a heavy object, it may lead to injury. A sprained or fractured wrist may result, requiring prompt treatment. A fractured wrist will need to be immobilized with a cast or splint to ensure that it heals properly.
Treatment for Heavy Lifting Injuries
Physical therapy and chiropractic care can help you make a full recovery from a heavy lifting injury. By strengthening and retraining the injured body part, as well as relieving pressure caused by misalignment, these treatment methods can speed up the healing process.
Florida Wellness Medical Group provides diagnostic labs and imaging, chiropractic care, and physical therapy from trained physicians to help you recover from an injury. Contact us today to learn more.