How to avoid shoulder injuries while at work

North Carolina workers who have jobs that require manual labor and strenuous lifting are at a higher risk of developing a shoulder injury. Rotator cuff injuries tend to be the most common, and they\’re brought on either suddenly or over time through excessive wear and tear. While there are a number of stellar treatments to remedy this type of injury, it\’s best to avoid getting one in the first place.

Use proper lifting techniques

One of the best tips to follow to prevent having to file a worker\’s compensation claim for a shoulder injury is to always lift with your arm held squarely against your body. When lifting, you should be using the power of your legs and hips to do most of the lifting. Keep in mind that your quads and hamstrings have a lot more power than your arms. Use this knowledge to your advantage when moving heavy objects.

Pay attention to the position of your spine

You always want to keep your spine as upright as possible when lifting heavy objects. When you utilize the power of your lower body to do most of the lifting, it allows you to keep your spine in an upright position. In addition, you\’ll notice that your arms will be less fatigued when you let your lower body do most of the lifting. Letting your upper body get fatigued and continuing to push through the fatigue is one of the most common ways to develop a shoulder injury in the rotator cuff muscles.

Shoulder injuries are one of the most common workplace injuries for those in the manual labor industries. It\’s important to do your part in preventing the development of a shoulder injury by practicing the prevention techniques that we went over above. Remember that it\’s always best to prevent an injury as opposed to dealing with having to treat it after it develops.