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For Elders, Lifting Can Be a Real Pain in the Back

Most of us know that lifting a heavy box the wrong way can cause an aching back. For most of us, the soreness goes away. For an elderly person, or for someone with osteoporosis, lifting a box the wrong way can cause more than a back ache. It can cause severe low back problems, or even vertebral compression fractures. If an older person becomes unbalanced when lifting, he or she runs a higher risk of falling and possibly breaking a bone.

These researchers tested the body movements of 91 older people as they lifted a box that weighed a little over one pound and set it on a table. All of the subjects were over age 60 and had some functional limitations due to arthritis or other conditions. The idea was to see how this group naturally did their lifting. Then the researchers analyzed how the lifting styles related to the strength of muscles around the knees and hips.

The results showed that people who had stronger knee and hip extensor muscles tended to lift mainly with their legs, which is a safer way to lift. People with weak hip and knee extensor muscles lifted mainly with their backs, which heightens their risk of injury. The research also showed one more style of lifting: people with hip extensors that were weaker than their knee extensors used a combination of back and legs when lifting. This style was safer than lifting with the back alone, so the authors suggest it is a safer compromise when people don't have the strength to lift mainly with their legs.

The authors also tested how stable the participants were when they lifted. Being stable during lifting lessens the chance of a fall. The results showed that those using their legs were more stable than others who lifted mainly with their backs.

This information can help doctors and therapists treat older patients with functional limitations. This study showed that patients naturally lift with their backs if the hip or knee extensor muscles are weak. Just by watching a patient lift, clinicians can see which muscles might need strengthening and help develop a safer way of lifting. The goal would be to help older patients lift with as much ease as possible--so lifting won't become a major pain in the back. 

References: Michael S. Puniello, MS, PT, OCS, et al. Lifting Strategy and Stability in Strength-Impaired Elders. In Spine. May 1, 2001. Vol. 26. No. 7. Pp. 731-737.

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