The last two jobs I’ve had involved some lifting. My current training boss says it doesn’t matter how I lift — just get the boxes on the shelf. My last boss insisted we lift from the legs, not from the back. Does it really matter?

For many years, we have believed that using a squat to lift is the best way to prevent back injuries. We’ve been told to hold the item close to the chest. This was supposed to reduce the compressive and shear forces on the spine during lifting.

With more advanced technology, scientists are now able to measure spine angles while a person uses different lifting methods. The same measurements can be taken holding the item close or far away from the body for comparison. Computer software programs can take the data and analyze what’s going on inside the spine.

More than one study has shown that the risk of back injury is the same no matter what method you use. That tells us there are other reasons you hurt your back while lifting. Scientists will start to shift their research focus now to look for these other factors that can cause lifting injuries.