According to the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT) at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, these are step-by-step instructions for proper lifting:
- Stand close to the object with your feet spread apart, about the width of your shoulders.
- Squat, bending your knees and hips, while keeping your back in proper alignment.
- Contract your stomach muscles.
- Lift with your leg muscles, not your back. Take care not to lift and twist at the same time.
- If you’re lifting the object with another person, do it in unison. One person should say when to lift, walk, and unload.