Practical Tips
Low Back Pain Prevention Part 6: Weight Lifting Safely
Posted August 15, 2023
Weightlifting can be a fantastic way to strengthen your body, but it's essential to do it safely. Using proper weightlifting techniques helps to protect your back and minimize the risk of injury.
Weight Lifting Tips
- Use free weights, such as dumbbells or kettlebells, instead of machine weights. Machine weights can increase the pressure on your discs significantly, potentially leading to injury.
- Learn the proper lifting techniques. Have a physical therapist or personal trainer teach you.
- Before and after lifting weights, do roughly 10 press-ups. If you experience pain or stiffness after lifting, it may indicate that you did too much or lost proper neutral spine positioning. In such cases, get an evaluation with Dr. Geraci or your physical therapist before resuming weightlifting.
- Always perform stabilization exercises before lifting weights to warm up your core and reduce the risk of injuries. These exercises include the prone plank, R/L side bridges or side planks, supine bridge, McGill modified curl-up, and bird-dog. Incorporating these exercises into your routine will help ensure your weightlifting sessions are safe and effective.