Moving Tips: Lifting and Carrying Techniques

One of the most common causes of injury during a move is lifting and carrying heavy items. It’s important to take the proper precautions when you move to make sure you avoid injury. Our team at All My Sons Moving & Storage know that moving can be tough and you just want to get it over with, but it is always worse if you get hurt during a move. Our team of professional movers have some moving tips and moving techniques to share so you and your family can avoid an injury during your next move.

Preparation

Make sure you are ready to move all your items. If you have a lot of heavy items, make sure you have someone on hand to help lift them. If you ask friends and family to help with your move, make sure they are aware of what you are moving and that they feel comfortable helping you lift and move it. You want to make sure both your friends and your belongings stay safe during your move. Not having enough people can be dangerous. You may want to stretch before you start lifting and carrying all your boxes and furniture to ensure you are ready. This will feel like a work out- make sure you are ready to sweat! Make sure you have water on hand and get enough sleep the night before. You don’t want to be exhausted on moving day. You also want to make sure that you pack your belongings properly. Don’t overstuff boxes or place heavy items on top of fragile or lightweight items. Ensuring you are prepared for your move is the best way to avoid injury.

Lifting Techniques

It may seem silly, but remember that there is a proper way to lift. You should always lift with your legs, never with your back or spine or you could pull you back out. Remember that moving is a process, don’t rush it and risk an injury. Move at a comfortable pace and take breaks when you need them. When you are lifting heavy items with another person, try to get as close to the item as possible so you don’t strain your arms or hands. Always bend at your knees rather than your waste to avoid the pressure on your lower back. Make sure your feet are shoulder length apart to distribute the weight of the heavy object over your body better.

What Can Go Wrong

Lifting several small packages over the course of day is almost a small repetitive stress injury, and could lead to a week of soreness in your body. Attempting to lift an object improperly, by not keeping it close or bending with your back, can result in twisting or pulling muscles or tendons. The most common lifting injuries are to the spine, back, and neck. These are the most preventable by using the above tips, and a worthwhile investment. It cannot be understated that a back or neck injury due to improperly lifting something heavy can result in serious pain, a trip to the hospital, or lifelong spine or neck issues. It is simply not worth it to risk any of these when it is so easy to prevent them.

Our Austin movers hope these moving techniques help you prevent injury from your next move. If you are looking for more moving tips, give us a call. We want to make your moving experience easy and stress free.

Here are some more links for lifting techniques and injury prevention.

Safe Lifting & Moving Techniques – Basic steps for the safe lifting and handling of objects and packages.
Lifting & Moving Objects – A concise guide to lifting and moving heavier objects like furniture.
Lifting, Moving, and Carrying – This guide has a lot of information on what type of technique is best depending what one is lifting.
Safe Lifting Techniques – A start to finish guide to safely moving objects.
Neck-safe lifting techniques – How to prevent stress to the spine and neck while moving heavy objects.

Back Injury Prevention – This lifting guide has good advice on warming up for lifting.
Worker Safety – This guide addresses several ways to prepare for properly lifting heavy items in the work place.
Safe Lifting Procedures – How to prepare for lifting.
Lifting Health & Safety – This overview has great ways to prepare for lifting while moving.