Does your job require heavy lifting as a daily requirement? It’s important to properly train your body for lifting heavy objects at work and allow time for recovery afterward.
Studies show that the health of manual laborers decreases faster than that of non-manual laborers. Keep reading to learn how to keep your body in shape so you can get your job done and minimize pain.
Prepare Your Body
One of the best ways to make sure you don’t hurt yourself on the job is being prepared beforehand. It’s helpful to know the ergonomics required in your workplace, as your adjusting to physical labor. Ergonomics refers to the human relationship in regard to work demands. So be aware of what body parts you use most and put the most strain on when you work.
Always remember to wear your protective gear! This includes head protection, eye protection, hearing protection, etc. You can also use other items like back-support belts or shoe inserts to support your body while you work.
While you’re working, be mindful of your back. Many injuries occur due to poor lifting techniques. It’s important that you lift with your legs. The muscles in your legs and buttocks are much stronger and will take the strain off of your back.
It’s also helpful to stretch beforehand, especially if you are going to be lifting heavy items at work. Stretching increases flexibility in your joints which allows them to work better. It also improves circulation and muscle posture and gives you an energy boost.
Prevent Nerve Pain
Preparing your body and having good ergonomics is vital to avoiding injury and pain. A multitude of factors can contribute to pain and injury including excessive force and repetition, poor posture, poor health and nutrition, and not enough recovery time.
When you injure your back during work, you are doing damage to your nerves. Nerves send messages to your brain to signal pain.
According to this useful article, anything that compresses, severs, pinches, or crushes your peripheral nerves will lead to long-lasting nerve damage. So it’s important to listen to your body and take the steps to avoid injury.
Heal Your Body after Lifting Heavy Objects at Work
Wondering how to recover from physical labor? Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to alleviate pain and recover your body so symptoms don’t get worse.
Electrotherapy can offer pain relief for acute muscle and joint pain. It uses safe, mild pulses to reduce pain.
Temperature therapy can help treat injuries and pain. Heat and cold have different beneficial effects during healing. It’s recommended to use ice for sudden pain and heat for chronic pain.
Responsible use of pain medication, as well as the use of supplements, can reduce pain. Pain medications such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin, are safe medications to use but it is important to take them responsibly. Supplements like glucosamine, turmeric, and capsaicin are remedies for pain relief, such as arthritis and joint pain.
Light workouts are another method of recovery. They can help reduce soreness and increase circulation. Light workouts include walking on a treadmill, swimming, foam rolling, stretching, or riding on a stationary bike.
It’s also recommended that you eat well and at least get 8 hours asleep after a day of heavy lifting. This will allow your body to heal and recover properly.
Live Well without Pain
When lifting heavy objects at work is an everyday requirement, it’s important you prepare your body and allow it to heal afterward. By following these tips, you should be able to keep your body in shape and prevent nerve pain. Minimizing injury and pain through proper preparation and recovery will not only help you now but keep your body healthy in the long run!
Interested in more health and wellness tips? Check out our blog for more helpful guides!
