Here’s Why Constant Bending Can Be Troublesome
No, back pain is not caused just by heavy lifting.
- By Matthew Marino
- Oct 03, 2022
A healthy back is invaluable for a logistics worker—for most, their livelihood literally depends on it. Unfortunately, movements essential to their fast-paced workday—such as overexertion from repeatedly bending over to pick up and put down boxes—can create cumulative damage that increases the risk of a work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD).
And there’s good reason to take WMSDs seriously: OSHA said WMSDs are among the most frequently reported causes of lost or restricted work time, and the annual cost for treatment and lost wages from back pain domestically is $253 billion, according to the Bone and Joint Initiative.
Amazon has increased its attention and directed financial resources to combat WMSDs with its WorkingWell program, which is a step in the right direction. The juggernaut company had reason to emphasize warehouse safety—Amazon recorded 5.6 injuries per 100 workers in 2019, while the national average for the warehousing and storage sector was 4.8.
Because even the 4.8 average is still too high, it's important to understand why logistics/warehouse workers are at-risk of suffering back-related WMSDs that could turn into chronic pain. Back pain is associated with heavy lifting—somebody grimacing and feeling the pain in the lower back ramp up after trying to haul something too heavy.
However, repetitively loading the back and the awkward postures that come with moderate lifting as well as frequent and static bending can add up to be a very painful (and expensive) problem.
Let’s take a look at why movements like bending are so bad for your back.
The Science Behind Back Pain
The back functions like a see-saw: The spine works as the fulcrum with your body weight and anything you’re holding on one side, and your lower back muscles pulling on the other. Even standing upright, muscles in your back pull downward to keep the front of your body upright.
When you bend forward even just a few inches, muscles along your back and legs engage and pull on your upper body with about 100 pounds of force to keep you balanced. And that’s only bending forward a few inches and holding no extra weight.
This article originally appeared in the October 1, 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.