Manual handling – taking care of your spine
The spine has lot more bones than the leg and arm has. This means that the spine has less strength and a lot more joints that can be injured. Don’t wreck your spine. You can’t get a new one! Manual handling training provides workers with the knowledge required to prevent injuries at work. If your job involves manual handling, you may need to complete your manual handling certificate. In this manual handling course, you will learn about the spine and why it is at risk.
The spine has three major components:
- the spinal column of bones and discs
- the spinal cord and nerves
- supporting structures of muscles and ligaments
The bones in the spine are called vertebra. In between each of the vertebra are intervertebral discs. Discs are made up of a gel-like centre; surrounded by bands of fibrous tissue.
The spine is the central support of the skeletal system, which supports body weight and allows flexibility in movement.
A healthy spine is S-shaped with three natural curves and requires strong and flexible muscles in the back, leg and abdomen in order to maintain good alignment. When the back is bent, the weight of the upper body alone puts extra pressure on the lower discs in the spine.
Back injuries can happen when soft tissue suffers severe strains or discs are ruptured. Everything that you pick up with your arms transfers weight to the spinal column down to the hips and legs. The hips and legs are much stronger than the spine.
Standing is a natural posture for the spine. The spine is not suited to carrying loads when the upper body is acutely bent or twisted. As you can see, the manual handling certificate is a valuable tool for keeping workplaces safe.
The spine is the weakest link!
The muscles and ligaments enable the spine to function in an upright position, and the trunk to assume a variety of positions for various activities. There are also many muscles attached to the spine, which help to keep it stable.
The spine has many more joints than the legs and arms. It is designed to be flexible. Not to be used as a lifting device!
The spine does not handle the forces involved in twisting bending AND loads. The spine needs to be braced with abdominal and back muscles before any lifting.
Cracks in the outer rings of the disc, are caused by injuries. Especially those associated with bending or twisting. This causes the gel-like centre to push out, or to break out completely. This bulge can press on the nerves and cause pain.
Disc bulges are very painful and very hard to fix, if they can be fixed at all!
Up to one third of all work injuries in Australia occur during manual handling. Most of the reported accidents involving manual handling tasks cause back injury although hands arms and feet are also vulnerable.
A manual handling course can be completed online.
Sometimes the person injured never fully recovers or requires a long period of rehabilitation before they are able to work again. Complete your manual handling training to ensure you are able to manage the risks.
Book this course now!
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