After injuring his back, former River City Rascals
player John Grana learns the right way to lift a
heavy object with physical therapist Vici
Ruthenburg, MHS, PT, Cert MDT.
St. Anthony’s spine specialist Vici Ruthenburg, MHS, PT, Cert MDT, offers these basic tips:
Use a wide body stance with feet shoulder-width apart.
Keep the object you are lifting close to your center of gravity and below your belly button.
Don't bend from the waist to raise or lower an object. Use your legs, not your back, to handle the load.
If the object is below waist level or being moved from high to low, bend your knees and squat to lower your center of gravity to be even with center of object.
Fully face the object at all times. That means your head, shoulders,waist, hips, knees and toes should all face the object.
Don’t twist. Move your upper and lower body together, to face the place where you are moving the object.
For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit find a physician online.
At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization
— and your first choice for health care services.
