Approximately eight out of 10 Americans experience back injuries during their lives, most of them resulting from improper lifting. For every back injury that occurs on the job, more than twice as many happen at home or in recreational activities.

Preventing back injuries is as simple as:

• Learning and practicing proper lifting techniques
• Exercising and strengthening back muscles
• Practicing good posture
• Eliminating excess body weight

Your back is a complex system of bones, discs, muscles, and nerves. Help yourself to a healthy back by learning about and practicing good body mechanics. Here are the resources to do it:

• Get training:
• Attend How to Maintain a Healthy Back class via Enrollment Central
• Use the Maintaining a Healthy Back Web-based training program
• Read:
• A Back Injury Prevention Guide for Health Care Providers (PDF)
• Back Exercises — Making Your Back Work for You (Word file) (PDF)
• 50 Things You Can Do To Save Your Back (Word file) (PDF)
• How To Safely Lift and Carry
• Stretches
• 15 Ways to Save Your Back (PDF)

If you are a UCSD employee and have questions, contact an ergonomics specialist.