The belief that lifting with a straight back minimises the risk of injury may be busted with new research out of Curtin University.
The research paper, ‘To flex or not to flex? Is there a relationship between lumbar spine flexion during lifting and low back pain? A systematic review with meta-analysis’, published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, suggests that neither lifting with a straight nor a rounded back results in a higher chance of back pain.
The study reviewed all the available research, which included 12 articles involving 697 participants, to investigate whether lifting with a rounded back was a risk factor for back pain compared to lifting with a straight back.
Professor Peter O’Sullivan, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science at Curtin University, said lifting remained a significant risk factor for low back pain and there was still a strong belief that lifting with a rounded back could increase this risk.
“Workplace health and safety representatives, healthcare practitioners, as well as gym instructors, advise that lifting with a rounded back should be avoided and instead insist that the safest way to lift is with a straight back,” said Professor O’Sullivan, who co-led the study.
The research paper, ‘To flex or not to flex? Is there a relationship between lumbar spine flexion during lifting and low back pain? A systematic review with meta-analysis’, published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, suggests that neither lifting with a straight nor a rounded back results in a higher chance of back pain.
The study reviewed all the available research, which included 12 articles involving 697 participants, to investigate whether lifting with a rounded back was a risk factor for back pain compared to lifting with a straight back.
Professor Peter O’Sullivan, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science at Curtin University, said lifting remained a significant risk factor for low back pain and there was still a strong belief that lifting with a rounded back could increase this risk.
“Workplace health and safety representatives, healthcare practitioners, as well as gym instructors, advise that lifting with a rounded back should be avoided and instead insist that the safest way to lift is with a straight back,” said Professor O’Sullivan, who co-led the study.
