May 26, 2012
Topics A-Z Pain Muscle strain after repeatedly lifting weight
Muscle strain after repeatedly lifting weight |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: I've been having chest pains and pain in my left shoulder for a about 5 months now. i went to the emergeincey room a couple months ago and took xray blood work ekg and all came back fine. I recently think i found the resaon to the pain my grandmother has alzheimer's and i have to lift her everyday shes not heavy but will pull back and fight me so i have to strain and work harder my question is how can i get rin of these pains and what is a better way to lift my grandmother as to not cause me pain Dear Mike: The repeated effort lifting your grandmother is causing an overuse injury, known also as Repetitive Stress injury (RSI). I can recommend you to use a mechanical patient lifting device. Mechanical patient lifting devices are one of the most important tools for reducing caregiver injury. These devices come in two clear types, electrical lifting devices and mechanical patient lifting devices. Caregivers in the nursing home setting can use the mechanical patient lifting devices to avoid unnecessary strain on their backs and improve the dignity of the patients they care for. Using the actual mechanical lifting device to perform the stretch and lift required reduces back strain. There are some basic rules for a safe lifting: first try to keep your back straight, avoid twisting, keep the patient close to your body, if an object is at a greater distance from your body for lifting, your back muscles and joints have to work harder to lift the weight creating greater stress on your back. If you keep the exact same load close to your body, the lesser distance creates a lighter load and less stress on your back. Consider the use of a mechanical aid. During handling, use your leg and hip muscles and knee joints to lift. When lifting, tighten your abdominal and pelvic muscles and keep the person or object close to your body to prevent injury. Avoid reaching over your head to lift to prevent strain on joints located along your spine. Lift in stages if you need to. If the person or object slips, lower them gently to the floor while tightening your abdominal muscles and avoid rotation. |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 03 January 2012 ) |
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