Oklahoma AgrAbility Newsletter
November/December 2003 • Volume 2 • Issue 6
"Backs" through the Winter
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NOTE: Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma State University, Langston University or the National AgrAbility Project and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
In This Issue
Backs" through the Winter
Slipping and falling on ice, chopping ice for the first time in a year, and shoveling snow are all ways to hurt your back during the winter months. There are several ways to keep yourself healthy, and we will cover some of those in this issue. Most of these injuries occur from over use of the back when it is out of shape or not ready for a strenuous task. If an injury should occur, seek advice from your doctor or physical therapist.
Best Wishes,
Rachael Kircher, AgrAbility Project Coordinator
Reducing Back Injuries
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 1999 that back injuries are the number one cause of days away from work. Preventing back injuries is critical in living with a healthy back and a pain free life.
Your back is an important part of how you live your daily life, including your ability to run, walk, sit, and stand. Most impairments are caused from improperly using your back. Properly lifting items, correct posture, and proper exercise will help keep you and your back healthy.
Exercising your back and stomach muscles is important to ease the strain from daily activity. Simple back exercises will help strengthen your back and improve your appearance. Check with your doctor to find out the best exercises for you.
Excess weight and obesity puts extra stress and strain on the back and stomach muscles. Your body tries to support your weight and keep balanced by putting stain on your lower back muscles. Losing weight reduces strain and pain in your back. Talk to your doctor about a sensible weight loss program.
Maintaining good posture helps prevent many back pains. When you sit down, don’t slouch. Slouching puts strain on your ligaments and vertebrae, not just your muscles. The best way to sit straight is with your back on the back of the chair and your feet flat on the floor with your knees slightly higher than your hips. When standing, stand tall with your shoulders square and head up.
It is also important to maintain good posture while you sleep. A firm mattress offers support while a soft mattress could allow a back sprain or sway back. Sleep on your side with you knees bent or on your back with a pillow under your legs for support.
Good posture while you drive is attainable by sitting with your back straight against the seat and close enough to the wheel so your knees are bent slightly higher than your hips. Very similar to how you would sit in a chair.
Lifting takes planning, positioning, and proper form to keep from straining and injuring your back. Some things to think about are:
- the weight of the object(s),
- the distance you will be moving it,
- will it be awkward to carry by yourself?
- do you need help?
- are there any obstacles or hazards in the moving path?
Source: Agsafe, Coalition for Health and Safety in Agriculture, Back Injury Prevention: Script.
Good "Back" Habits
Fad diets are often difficult to follow for more than a few weeks or months. As a result:
- Lift objects smoothly, not with quick jerking movement.
- Lift, push, and pull with your legs, not your arms or back.
- When changing direction while moving something, turn with your feet, not your waist.
- Sit in your farm vehicles or family car as you sit in a chair, with your knees slightly above your hips, and provide support for your lower back.
- When walking, maintain a straight posture and wear slip-resistant, supportive shoes. Replace footwear that is in disrepair.
- When carrying heavy objects, carry them close to you and avoid carrying them in one hand.
- When stepping down from a tractor, combine, or load of hay, step backward, not forward.
Source: Prepared by J. Shelley and M. Dennis, Muscle, Bone, and Back Injuries, Kansas State University Extension, Oct 1993.
Lifting Responsibly
- Position yourself in front of the load
- Lift with your legs, NOT YOUR BACK
- Set the load down, bending your knees.
Adapted from the AgSafe, Coalition for Health and Safety in Agriculture, Back Injury Prevention Script.
Preventing Secondary Injuries
If you have already experienced a back injury you may have been given restrictions or limits by your doctor about the amount of lifting, pushing and pulling, carrying, or working overhead that you should do. You may also have decreased tolerance for standing, driving, or walking.
According to Dr. Millie Jorge, Director of Physical Therapy at Langston University, the doctor may recommend physical therapy after a back injury. The physical therapist can assist through education and treatment to reduce pain and increase or maintain strength and flexibility. They will design a home exercise program based on your individual condition. The therapist can also provide education on good body mechanics and back protection techniques, as well as appropriate pain management techniques using warmth, cold, or electrical stimulation devices.
If the restrictions and limitations are permanent, you will need to think about alternative ways to get farm tasks completed.
First, you may want to consider re-assigning the tasks to others who are capable of completing the work safely. However, it may be a task you highly value doing and do not want to re-assign, or additional help simply may not be available. In this case, consider modifying the work environment to see if the task can be done without aggravating your condition.
An example of modifying the work environment might be to move work indoors to a warmer environment during cold weather since cold has a tendency to create muscle stiffness. Other examples would include putting tools within easy reach, arranging the work to be done at the right height (not too low or too high), rotating work tasks so you do not stay in one posture for too long, and taking breaks for rest and gentle stretching.
Lifting and carrying items can be of special concern on the farm. Feed sacks, hay bales, and other objects are often awkward and bulky. In this instance, consideration should be given to assistive devices that can help get the task done. Of course, it is important to note that assistive devices do not replace function, instead they compensate for lost function. So using an assistive device to complete tasks may take just a little bit longer and require some patience to use. The payoff may be in preventing another injury that could result in substantial time lost from work and medical expenses.
Examples of assistive devices for lifting might be placing pulleys at strategic locations or using jacks/lifts suited for the purpose of the job. Carts, dollies, and hand trucks make it possible to transport items across a considerable distance versus carrying heavy items by hand. An investment in quick hitching devices for drawbars and 3 point hitches virtually eliminates the need to lift or get up/down from the tractor frequently during hitching.
The ability to tolerate operating machinery like tractors and combines may be reduced because they aggravate back pain. The seating arrangement must provide adequate support and allow easy access to controls. An adequate seat is one that is in good repair, adjustable front to back up and down, has armrests, a seat back, and some type of suspension to decrease jarring forces on the spine.
Some operators may feel more comfortable adding a small cushion to help support the lower back. Also, on many tractors, a swivel can be added to the seat which enables the driver to turn and check on trailing equipment versus repetitively turning the torso, neck, and head over a fixed pelvis. These movements can be especially aggravating to back muscles and spine. Of course seating upgrades, like air suspension seats, are also available for many newer pieces of machinery. Air suspension technology smooths out the ride and decreases jarring forces to the back and spine more than springs or other mechanical suspension.
Pain medications are commonly used in cases of chronic back impairment. They can affect safe participation in farm work. Many pain medicines contain cautionary warning labels in regard to driving and operating heavy equipment. Other labels state you should know how the medicine affects you before driving. If you are unsure about the warnings and effects of medicine you take for pain, ask your doctor or pharmacist. If pain continues to limit participation in farm tasks or other daily activities, seeking out a referral to a doctor who specializes in pain management may be helpful. Many non-surgical techniques have been developed to aid in back pain management.
An AgrAbility Project Specialist is available to make farm visits to Oklahoma farmers and ranchers with back impairments. They can work with you to look at problem areas and identify possible solutions.
Prevent Winter Falls
Fact: Rural populations at high risk of injury include children, the elderly, farmers, and farm families.
Fact: One in three Americans over the age of 65 will suffer a fall each year. The risk of falls increases with age.
Fact: Fall risks can be reduced!
- Wear warm boots with rubber soles for added traction.
- If sidewalks look slippery, walk on the grass for better traction.
- Carry a small bag of rock salt, sand, or kitty litter in your pocket or car. It can be sprinkled on slippery spots.
- Enter buildings carefully, floors may be wet and slick. Put down non-slip runners to increase traction.
- Shed or tarp tractors during stormy weather to reduce ice accumulation on steps and ladders.
Strength: exercises such as lifting weights and walking upstairs, improve muscle tone and strength. With stronger muscles you are better able to stand up from a chair and pick up a bag of groceries with ease.
- Perform each movement through a complete range of motion.
- Do not hold your breath while strength training. Instead, exhale or breathe out while pushing the weight up or out and inhale or breathe in while letting the weight down or in. “Think tall” to maintain your posture.
- If your goal is to increase your muscular endurance, you should use lighter weights and perform eight to 12 repetitions.
- If your goal is to increase your muscular strength, you should use heavier weights and perform five to eight repetitions.
- Strength training often occurs on a farm or ranch without realizing it. Buckets and hay bales are often moved and lifted to increase muscle strength and endurance. Make sure you keep your body in a comfortable and ergonomic position. Lift with your knees, not your back.
- If you need to use items from the store, you may look into weights and/or weight machines.
- Contact your physician or physical therapist for an idea of what will work in your current situation.
Avoid walking out onto icy ponds to chop ice. Improve water sources wherever possible with tank heaters, covers, and insulation.
Prevent Winter Illness
Fact: During the winter months many agricultural workers face an additional occupational hazard which is exposure to cold. Some health problems can arise including frostbite, trench foot, and hypothermia.
- Dress in layers (outer layer to break wind and allow ventilation; middle layer of wool, down, or fleece; inner layer of cotton or synthetic weave).
- Keep an extra change of dry clothes in case work garments get wet.
- Pay special attention to protecting feet, hands, head, and face.
- Work indoors or shield work areas from drafty or windy conditions.
- Avoid activities that lead to heavy perspiration.
- Minimize activities that decrease circulation, such as standing or sitting in a cold environment.
- Avoid working alone.
- Seek warm shelter immediately following these symptoms: heavy shivering, an uncomfortable sensation of coldness, severe fatigue, drowsiness, or euphoria.
Adapted from NASD “Preventing Cold-Related Illnesses in Agricultural Workers”
This newsletter was supported in part by USDA-CSREES grant award number 2002-41590-01370.