Maintaining a Healthy Back

Protect your back from overuse and injury, whether you're lifting heavy objects, bending over, or spending most of the day sitting in a chair.

Approximately 8 out of 10 Americans experience back injuries during their lives, most from improper lifting. For every back injury that occurs on the job, more than twice as many happen at home or in recreational activities.

Prevent back injuries

It's 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.

Get training

• Attend How to Maintain a Healthy Back class via Enrollment Central
• Use the Maintaining a Healthy Back Web-based training program

Resources

• A Back Injury Prevention Guide for Health Care Providers (PDF)
• Back Exercises — Making Your Back Work for You (Word file) (PDF)
• How To Safely Lift and Carry
• Lessons for Lifting and Moving Materials (PDF)
• Stretches
• 15 Ways to Save Your Back (PDF)
• 50 Things You Can Do To Save Your Back (Word file) (PDF)

Contacts

For more information, or if you're experiencing discomfort or pain associated with your work, contact an ergonomics specialist:

• Campus, including SIO:
  • EH&S Occupational Health & Hygiene
• Hillcrest Medical Center and Thornton Hospital:
  • Ron Sieckmann, (619) 471-0372

Notice: Ergonomic information, training, and services are intended exclusively for UCSD employees and affiliates.

Safety

Training Resources

• Lifting & Carrying
• Maintaining a Healthy Back