I first came to Northgate Chiropractic on May 18th, 2010. I was having lower back pain that was making me feel about 60 years older than I am. It was a slow build up of sharper and shaper pains. Lifting and bending at work was nearly impossible. I had to lean on the help of others more and more for about the last two months.
My friends recommended I try chiropractic, this was my very first time seeing a chiropractor. I’d heard of and met Dr. Steve prior to my visit through my friends Mallory and Ryan. Dr. Steve was very easy to talk to and my usual anxiety in being in a new situation was very minimal.
My life since chiropractic care has been great!!! I can touch my toes again! I can bend and not be in pain. I don’t feel like a porcelain doll or an 80 year old woman. I began to see results right away with chiropractic. I feel like myself again and not like I’m getting too old too fast.
The staff is wonderful and personable. It would be great if it was like that everywhere.
Dr. Steve is wonderful. I praise him to friends and family on a regular basis.
Katrina K.
06/15/2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Once You Go...
...You always have to go. This is one of the many roadblocks and complaints that I hear when I talk to people about chiropractors. But I approach it in many different ways. There have been many times that I have been injured in my life, some injuries have been worse than others, but I have always relied on my chiropractor to get me back to pre-injury status. So then Dr. Lachuta, why did you continue to go? Well the answer is very simple. I continued to receive regular chiropractic adjustments approximately 1-2 times per week. I have pain occasionally, but I want my nervous system to be at its optimum ability. Yes, Chiropractic does help people with neck, back pain and headaches. Dorland’s dictionary describes health as “optimum physical mental and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity.” Just being out of pain does not make you healthy. 100% function in your nervous system going to your entire body and everything it controls. I have heard many times that “In a recent physical, he was given a clean bill of health by his Doctor.” Then how did he just over night have a heart attack and die. Was it in that last step that he got a “heart condition?”
Your current or lack of health is the accumulation of how good or bad you have lived your life. As my father always says” if I would of known that I was going to live this long I would of taken a lot better care of my self.” Health comes from within and requires optimum expression of the entire nervous system. I have often asked this person what type of work they did. One person said that he was a mechanic and worked on Ford cars. I asked him how often he tuned up his own car. He stated, “Well, every 3,000 miles.” I said, “Well, Bill, why would you take less care of your own body?” He said, “I completely under stand.”
Another patient was a grade school teacher; I asked her how often should a student study for a test? She said, “Well, consistently and on a regular basis for all the quizzes and exams.” I asked her how one of her students would do on the final exam if she/he only studied the night before the test? She said that the student would fail the test. I then asked her how I was going to fix all the car payments, mortgages and daily stresses in her life by one adjustment? The teacher realized that health is something that you cannot get over night. You must continually keep yourself healthy on a daily basis: by eating the proper foods, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, mediating, stress management and getting chiropractic adjustments. Just imagine not tuning up your car until 40,000 miles, eating junk food all your life or never exercising until the age of forty, but then trying to get healthy over night. Yes, it is true that once you go to a chiropractor, you always should go. It is a major part of you and your family’s health that needs to be maintained on a regular basis.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Your current or lack of health is the accumulation of how good or bad you have lived your life. As my father always says” if I would of known that I was going to live this long I would of taken a lot better care of my self.” Health comes from within and requires optimum expression of the entire nervous system. I have often asked this person what type of work they did. One person said that he was a mechanic and worked on Ford cars. I asked him how often he tuned up his own car. He stated, “Well, every 3,000 miles.” I said, “Well, Bill, why would you take less care of your own body?” He said, “I completely under stand.”
Another patient was a grade school teacher; I asked her how often should a student study for a test? She said, “Well, consistently and on a regular basis for all the quizzes and exams.” I asked her how one of her students would do on the final exam if she/he only studied the night before the test? She said that the student would fail the test. I then asked her how I was going to fix all the car payments, mortgages and daily stresses in her life by one adjustment? The teacher realized that health is something that you cannot get over night. You must continually keep yourself healthy on a daily basis: by eating the proper foods, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, mediating, stress management and getting chiropractic adjustments. Just imagine not tuning up your car until 40,000 miles, eating junk food all your life or never exercising until the age of forty, but then trying to get healthy over night. Yes, it is true that once you go to a chiropractor, you always should go. It is a major part of you and your family’s health that needs to be maintained on a regular basis.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Add Years to Your :Life and Life to Your Years
I have always said that you should begin chiropractic adjustments at birth and continue throughout your entire life. Richard is Eighty-Two years old and continues to receive his chiropractic adjustments. Just as everyone in your family should receive adjustments, you should also bring in your grandparents. With medication use on the rise with the elderly, it is especially important that these people receive adjustments. The average grandma and grandpa are on approximately seven to eight different medications, each one to treat the side effect of the other.
Chiropractic is the essential ingredient to a healthier, more productive and longer life. Research shows that the smallest amount of pressure on a nerve from a subluxation will take away the functions of any organ, tissue or blood vessel that it controls. Chiropractic care should be on a maintenance visit level for their entire life. Colonel Sanders received his adjustments every week for the last Sixty-Five years of his life (He lived into his mid 90’s). Here are what some of the studies have showed how chiropractic care added years to our grandparent lives and life to their years.
A detailed analysis of a database collected during a three-year randomized study of senior citizens over 75 years of age and chiropractic care revealed that they received the following: better overall health, used fewer prescription drugs, and spent fewer days in hospitals and nursing homes than elderly non-chiropractic patients. The chiropractic patients were also more likely to exercise vigorously and more likely to be mobile in the community.
Eighty-seven percent of the chiropractic patients described their health status as good to excellent, compared to only sixty seven percent of the non-chiropractic patients.
Furthermore, the chiropractic patients spent fifteen percent less time in nursing homes and twenty one percent less time in hospitals than the non-chiropractic patients.
A retrospective assessment of 2,818 respondents in 156 chiropractic practices found a strong connection between persons receiving Chiropractic Care and self- reported improvement in health, wellness, and quality of life.
Ninety-five percent of the respondents reported their chiropractic expectations had been met, and ninety nine percent wished to continue care.
Now matter how much arthritis, degeneration you have, chiropractic is the only profession that will detect and correct interference in your nervous system. A healthy nervous system is the key to a longer and healthier life. It is my wish that through chiropractic care you will be able to unlock your fountain of youth.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Chiropractic is the essential ingredient to a healthier, more productive and longer life. Research shows that the smallest amount of pressure on a nerve from a subluxation will take away the functions of any organ, tissue or blood vessel that it controls. Chiropractic care should be on a maintenance visit level for their entire life. Colonel Sanders received his adjustments every week for the last Sixty-Five years of his life (He lived into his mid 90’s). Here are what some of the studies have showed how chiropractic care added years to our grandparent lives and life to their years.
A detailed analysis of a database collected during a three-year randomized study of senior citizens over 75 years of age and chiropractic care revealed that they received the following: better overall health, used fewer prescription drugs, and spent fewer days in hospitals and nursing homes than elderly non-chiropractic patients. The chiropractic patients were also more likely to exercise vigorously and more likely to be mobile in the community.
Eighty-seven percent of the chiropractic patients described their health status as good to excellent, compared to only sixty seven percent of the non-chiropractic patients.
Furthermore, the chiropractic patients spent fifteen percent less time in nursing homes and twenty one percent less time in hospitals than the non-chiropractic patients.
A retrospective assessment of 2,818 respondents in 156 chiropractic practices found a strong connection between persons receiving Chiropractic Care and self- reported improvement in health, wellness, and quality of life.
Ninety-five percent of the respondents reported their chiropractic expectations had been met, and ninety nine percent wished to continue care.
Now matter how much arthritis, degeneration you have, chiropractic is the only profession that will detect and correct interference in your nervous system. A healthy nervous system is the key to a longer and healthier life. It is my wish that through chiropractic care you will be able to unlock your fountain of youth.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Monday, May 31, 2010
"Our Patients Speak"
"Being pregnant with my first child my midwives told me to find a good Chiropractor. I instantly thought of Dr. Steve.
Today was my first visit, the office is remarkably comfortable and calming. Dr. Steve patiently explained the process to me and made both my husband and I feel very comfortable.
After todays adjustment I am feeling alot more comfortable and I look forward to my next visit."
"I went in today really feeling nauseous (I'm four months pregnant) and a little stressed from traffic. I immediately felt calmer walking in the door. The office is an oasis. Both Dr. Steve and the fantastically friendly receptionist were smiling and really kind.
Walking out I was smiling and feeling alot better. The office was full of happy clients, which says something by itself!
This is an awesome place to go, I wont trust anyone else with my spine but Dr. Steve and I will be recommending him to friends and family, as well as all the women (families) at my birth center."
~Tristen W.
"I lived in the seattle area for a while and finally found a chiropractor thru word of mouth...
DR. STEVE to the rescue! He got me fixed up and back on my feet in no time. I never made any appts and he was happy to fit me in whenever i needed an adjustment. It was nice not having to wait when i was in pain. I also had tummy issues which he was able to correct as well - which made a huge difference in my life. Me and my husband moved over to the tricities and i have yet to find a chiropractor that i feel comfortable with as i did with dr. steve or who asks if i have any other discomforts going on.
Thank you !!!!!"
~Hannah W.
"Dr. Steve is in!
He is in every way wonderful! He really cares. He listens to you. He is without a doubt the best in his profession.
I went to see him today for a horrible headache I had for the last couple of days. He made room for me all the while not making me feel like an inconvenience to his schedule. But then it wasn't a surprise, he has always done what he can to get you in.
After he adjusted me almost instantly I felt relief. Mind you the entire headache wasn't gone but WOW, what a difference! And a bonus, all of a sudden my sinus' were clear, that wasn't part of the treatment plan (i didn't mention it to him, I didn't think that it was a Chiropractic thing) but I'll take the bonus! Oh and by the way, the entire headache was gone by the time i got home (about a 30 minute drive) and was finally able to get on with life, instead laying in bed, in the dark.
That was only one of the fabulous treatments I have received from Dr. Steve, and I have never been disappointed. I have always walked out there better then i came it, much better.
I have so much confidence in Dr. Steve that my daughter, and husband sees him. I also took my mom to see him when her hip was giving her problems last summer when she came into town for a visit.
Well I could go on, I just can't express enough how much Dr. Steve has helped me. I hope you give him a try, I have no doubt you will be surprise what he can do for you."
~Tracey J.
Today was my first visit, the office is remarkably comfortable and calming. Dr. Steve patiently explained the process to me and made both my husband and I feel very comfortable.
After todays adjustment I am feeling alot more comfortable and I look forward to my next visit."
"I went in today really feeling nauseous (I'm four months pregnant) and a little stressed from traffic. I immediately felt calmer walking in the door. The office is an oasis. Both Dr. Steve and the fantastically friendly receptionist were smiling and really kind.
Walking out I was smiling and feeling alot better. The office was full of happy clients, which says something by itself!
This is an awesome place to go, I wont trust anyone else with my spine but Dr. Steve and I will be recommending him to friends and family, as well as all the women (families) at my birth center."
~Tristen W.
"I lived in the seattle area for a while and finally found a chiropractor thru word of mouth...
DR. STEVE to the rescue! He got me fixed up and back on my feet in no time. I never made any appts and he was happy to fit me in whenever i needed an adjustment. It was nice not having to wait when i was in pain. I also had tummy issues which he was able to correct as well - which made a huge difference in my life. Me and my husband moved over to the tricities and i have yet to find a chiropractor that i feel comfortable with as i did with dr. steve or who asks if i have any other discomforts going on.
Thank you !!!!!"
~Hannah W.
"Dr. Steve is in!
He is in every way wonderful! He really cares. He listens to you. He is without a doubt the best in his profession.
I went to see him today for a horrible headache I had for the last couple of days. He made room for me all the while not making me feel like an inconvenience to his schedule. But then it wasn't a surprise, he has always done what he can to get you in.
After he adjusted me almost instantly I felt relief. Mind you the entire headache wasn't gone but WOW, what a difference! And a bonus, all of a sudden my sinus' were clear, that wasn't part of the treatment plan (i didn't mention it to him, I didn't think that it was a Chiropractic thing) but I'll take the bonus! Oh and by the way, the entire headache was gone by the time i got home (about a 30 minute drive) and was finally able to get on with life, instead laying in bed, in the dark.
That was only one of the fabulous treatments I have received from Dr. Steve, and I have never been disappointed. I have always walked out there better then i came it, much better.
I have so much confidence in Dr. Steve that my daughter, and husband sees him. I also took my mom to see him when her hip was giving her problems last summer when she came into town for a visit.
Well I could go on, I just can't express enough how much Dr. Steve has helped me. I hope you give him a try, I have no doubt you will be surprise what he can do for you."
~Tracey J.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sugar-Free And Spice... And Everything Nice
Sugar-Free and Spice and everything nice that’s what little boys and girls are made of. This saying sounds a little bit off, but it is very true in today’s world. When I review an average kids’ diet in my office, it’s terrible. The average kid eats fruit rollups, 1-2 Mountain Dews a day and has a sugar cereal/pop tart for breakfast. Did you know that one can of Mountain Dew (or any other cola) has 17 teaspoons of sugar in it? You wonder why kids are so hyper today. They are consuming massive amounts of sugar on a daily basis. I cannot imagine what all that sugar will do for the up-down insulin levels through all the growing years. Research has shown that sugar will weaken the immune system, which means the kids will get sick more often.
Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a box of cereal? Usually the most popular cereals have either the first and or second ingredient as sugar. Ethan’s cereal isn’t called Buzz Blasts or Lucky Charms; it is a high fiber and protein combination. Little does Buckaroo know that I just empty the Buzz Blast Cereal out and put the “healthy” cereal (from the Health food section at Kroger’s) in the box. Only when he is older, will he figure this out. By that time it will be such a part of his healthy lifestyle that it really won’t matter to him.
Do this sugar test: give your child what he normally eats that has sugar in it and watch what happens. Within 20 minutes, his/her energy will increase and a mood change will occur. Also in the mid afternoon, they will become very sleepy and crave something with sugar in it.
I have a story to tell that will hit home with a lot of you. Several months ago, we received a call from Ethan’s teacher, saying that he had been misbehaving in school. After talking with her, I asked her what he had been eating. She stated that it had been one of his classmates birthday and the parents brought in some cake. I informed her that Ethan is not allowed to eat sugar because it makes him extremely hyper and very aggressive. My wife proceeded to bring healthy snacks and high protein bars for him to eat on those “celebration” days. It has been about 4 months now and we haven’t had a complaint since. But what about juice? Ethan only drinks Northland 100% Juice or something that we have juiced ourselves. Most juices are made of sugar. My best advice is to look on the ingredients and make sure that if you do feed them something that contains sugar, that it’s at least the 3rd or 4th ingredient. Ethan knows that when he eats sugar, it is not healthy or good for him. If he eats sugar, it changes and alters his personality (aggressive, emotional and doesn’t listen), sleeping patterns and digestive habits. We decided that our household would be a sugar free zone. It has made a big difference on his disposition and the family atmosphere.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(209) 367-2224.
Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a box of cereal? Usually the most popular cereals have either the first and or second ingredient as sugar. Ethan’s cereal isn’t called Buzz Blasts or Lucky Charms; it is a high fiber and protein combination. Little does Buckaroo know that I just empty the Buzz Blast Cereal out and put the “healthy” cereal (from the Health food section at Kroger’s) in the box. Only when he is older, will he figure this out. By that time it will be such a part of his healthy lifestyle that it really won’t matter to him.
Do this sugar test: give your child what he normally eats that has sugar in it and watch what happens. Within 20 minutes, his/her energy will increase and a mood change will occur. Also in the mid afternoon, they will become very sleepy and crave something with sugar in it.
I have a story to tell that will hit home with a lot of you. Several months ago, we received a call from Ethan’s teacher, saying that he had been misbehaving in school. After talking with her, I asked her what he had been eating. She stated that it had been one of his classmates birthday and the parents brought in some cake. I informed her that Ethan is not allowed to eat sugar because it makes him extremely hyper and very aggressive. My wife proceeded to bring healthy snacks and high protein bars for him to eat on those “celebration” days. It has been about 4 months now and we haven’t had a complaint since. But what about juice? Ethan only drinks Northland 100% Juice or something that we have juiced ourselves. Most juices are made of sugar. My best advice is to look on the ingredients and make sure that if you do feed them something that contains sugar, that it’s at least the 3rd or 4th ingredient. Ethan knows that when he eats sugar, it is not healthy or good for him. If he eats sugar, it changes and alters his personality (aggressive, emotional and doesn’t listen), sleeping patterns and digestive habits. We decided that our household would be a sugar free zone. It has made a big difference on his disposition and the family atmosphere.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(209) 367-2224.
Friday, May 21, 2010
A Chiropractor To Keep The Headaches Away? Yes!
This picture sounds all too familiar: Mom is upstairs because she has a migraine headache. Her door is closed, the lights are off and we have to be “really quiet.” Hopefully the shot (Immetrex) worked and she’ll be “all better” in the morning. I also here people say, “I just get a couple of ‘normal’ headaches a week.”
No headache is “normal;” rather it is a symptom of some underlying problem. Occasionally, this problem is easy to trace, such as alcohol or allergies. However, headaches are usually a warning sign of a more serious health condition. Each day, 5-10 million adults in the United States use an over-the-counter medication in hopes that it will cure their headache. Some get temporary relief…some do not. While pain killers like aspirin can cover up symptoms by blocking the pain, but they don’t tackle the real problem. If you have tried to “cure” your headaches with painkillers, you know how fruitless that approach is in the long run. The headaches keep coming back, and drugs alleviate the pain, for now, without doing anything to correct the underlying problem. Any pain, including headaches, is your body’s way of warning you that something needs immediate attention.
A Chiropractor will examine your spine and nervous system and ask questions to find out the cause of your headache. There are over 200 different types of headaches. Stress headaches are most common in ages 30-39 with 47% of females suffering from these. By finding out why you are getting headaches, your chiropractor can help correct or eliminate the causes.
Have you ever had just one of those days? Were your neck was so tight it was difficult to move and you could not turn your head and look to back out the car? These dull steady headaches from tight muscles in the neck, back and head are usually the result of stress. These steady muscle contractions use up oxygen and irritate the muscles causing pain. Most types of headaches, including migraine, respond very well to chiropractic care. A research study revealed in the Chiropractic Journal that 74.6% of patients with recurring headaches, including migraines, were either cured or experienced reduced headache symptoms after receiving chiropractic adjustments. The reason is simple: the chiropractor locates and, if possible, corrects the cause of the headache.
What causes headaches? Most headaches result from spinal subluxations; in other words, malfunctioning vertebrate. These subluxations cause irritation of the delicate nerves and arteries that supply the head and face area, causing pain. Subluxations are caused from traumas (automobile accidents; slips and falls); stress (family, work or emotional); or chemicals (alcohol, drugs and NutraSweet). The chiropractor’s “adjustment” keeps the body free of nerve interference and allows normal flow. This allows the body to use its own inherent healing ability to maintain an optimum state of health.
You and your family have nothing to lose except for the possibility health and happiness.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
No headache is “normal;” rather it is a symptom of some underlying problem. Occasionally, this problem is easy to trace, such as alcohol or allergies. However, headaches are usually a warning sign of a more serious health condition. Each day, 5-10 million adults in the United States use an over-the-counter medication in hopes that it will cure their headache. Some get temporary relief…some do not. While pain killers like aspirin can cover up symptoms by blocking the pain, but they don’t tackle the real problem. If you have tried to “cure” your headaches with painkillers, you know how fruitless that approach is in the long run. The headaches keep coming back, and drugs alleviate the pain, for now, without doing anything to correct the underlying problem. Any pain, including headaches, is your body’s way of warning you that something needs immediate attention.
A Chiropractor will examine your spine and nervous system and ask questions to find out the cause of your headache. There are over 200 different types of headaches. Stress headaches are most common in ages 30-39 with 47% of females suffering from these. By finding out why you are getting headaches, your chiropractor can help correct or eliminate the causes.
Have you ever had just one of those days? Were your neck was so tight it was difficult to move and you could not turn your head and look to back out the car? These dull steady headaches from tight muscles in the neck, back and head are usually the result of stress. These steady muscle contractions use up oxygen and irritate the muscles causing pain. Most types of headaches, including migraine, respond very well to chiropractic care. A research study revealed in the Chiropractic Journal that 74.6% of patients with recurring headaches, including migraines, were either cured or experienced reduced headache symptoms after receiving chiropractic adjustments. The reason is simple: the chiropractor locates and, if possible, corrects the cause of the headache.
What causes headaches? Most headaches result from spinal subluxations; in other words, malfunctioning vertebrate. These subluxations cause irritation of the delicate nerves and arteries that supply the head and face area, causing pain. Subluxations are caused from traumas (automobile accidents; slips and falls); stress (family, work or emotional); or chemicals (alcohol, drugs and NutraSweet). The chiropractor’s “adjustment” keeps the body free of nerve interference and allows normal flow. This allows the body to use its own inherent healing ability to maintain an optimum state of health.
You and your family have nothing to lose except for the possibility health and happiness.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Be Safe When You Lift
You can take lifting in stride if you know how to protect your back. Lifting right involves a few simple steps. Above all, remember to rely on your strong legs, not your back. You can adapt safe lifting principles when you’re faced with a difficult lift - like a heavy or awkward load.
LIFTING & MOVING ON THE RUN
• Take Lifting in Stride
• Learn All the Right Moves
• READY, SET, GO Approach
LIFTING RIGHT
• READY - Learn the Steps
• SET-Do a Deep Squat
• GO - Bend you knees. Test the weight. Get a grip on it. “Hug” the load. Align your spine. Lift with your legs.
LIFTING DIFFICULT LOADS
• READY - Size Up the Load
• SET - Do a Pelvic Tilt - stand or sit and tighten your stomach muscles. Curl your buttocks forward, holding for a count of 5.
• GO - Lifting Odd Shapes - Test the load. Get as close to the load’s center of gravity as you can. Follow the steps.
• GO - Lifting Heavy Weights - Test the load. Get help if too heavy to handle alone. Use verbal signals.
LIFTING IN AWKWARD PLACES
• READY - Survey the Space
• SET - Do a Backbend - Stand and place your palms on our low back. Lean your upper body back, without overarching our neck, hold for a count of 5; repeat 3 times.
• GO - Lifting from High Places - Push up to test the weight, then grip the load securely. Slide the load to the edge and down to waist level. Readjust your grip so our hands are underneath the load, then put the load down.
• GO - . . .and Low Places - Kneel on one knee. Support the load on one knee to reduce the stress on your back. Stand backup, lifting with your legs.
• GO - Lifting Within Confined Spaces - Kneel on one knee and face the load. If you must kneel on both knees, be sure you don’t twist your back as you turn. Crawl, don’t stoop, to move. Wearing kneepads makes this easier to do. Slide the load, whenever possible, to lessen the weight on your back.
MOVE RIGHT
• READY - Think It Through
• SET - Do a side bend - Stand or sit with your hands clasped overhead. Lean to one side, stretching as far as you can. Feel a slight pull from your shoulder to your waist. Hold for a count of 5; repeat 3 times on each side.
• GO - Hold loads close. Balance your back. Pivot, don’t twist. Step, don’t reach. Bend your knees.
BUILDING A LOAD
• READY - Know the Right Strategy
• SET - Do arm circles - stand or sit with your arms straight out from your sides. Slowly move your arms in circles, gradually increasing the size of the circles. Continue for 30 seconds. Rest, then repeat 3 times.
• GO - Lift the load, readjust your grip. Use your legs, readjust your grip. Set the load down.
PUSHING & PULLING
• READY – Plot Your Move
• SET – Do a wall slide. Stand with your back against a wall and your feet apart. Slide into a half-sitting position. Hold for a count of 10, then slide back up. Repeat 3 times.
• GO – Push it. Place your hands on the load and bend your elbows. Bend your knees, putting one foot forward. Push off with your back leg and take short, steady steps.
• GO – When you must pull, get a firm grip on the load, bending your elbows slightly. Bend your knees, putting one foot back for balance. Push off with your forward leg, taking short, steady steps.
THE HOMESTRETCH
When you’re heading for home at the end of your shift, your back will feel a lot better if you used the right lifting and moving techniques throughout the day. You can enjoy your free time more when you’re less tired and your body is flexible and pain free.
LIFTING & MOVING ON THE RUN
• Take Lifting in Stride
• Learn All the Right Moves
• READY, SET, GO Approach
LIFTING RIGHT
• READY - Learn the Steps
• SET-Do a Deep Squat
• GO - Bend you knees. Test the weight. Get a grip on it. “Hug” the load. Align your spine. Lift with your legs.
LIFTING DIFFICULT LOADS
• READY - Size Up the Load
• SET - Do a Pelvic Tilt - stand or sit and tighten your stomach muscles. Curl your buttocks forward, holding for a count of 5.
• GO - Lifting Odd Shapes - Test the load. Get as close to the load’s center of gravity as you can. Follow the steps.
• GO - Lifting Heavy Weights - Test the load. Get help if too heavy to handle alone. Use verbal signals.
LIFTING IN AWKWARD PLACES
• READY - Survey the Space
• SET - Do a Backbend - Stand and place your palms on our low back. Lean your upper body back, without overarching our neck, hold for a count of 5; repeat 3 times.
• GO - Lifting from High Places - Push up to test the weight, then grip the load securely. Slide the load to the edge and down to waist level. Readjust your grip so our hands are underneath the load, then put the load down.
• GO - . . .and Low Places - Kneel on one knee. Support the load on one knee to reduce the stress on your back. Stand backup, lifting with your legs.
• GO - Lifting Within Confined Spaces - Kneel on one knee and face the load. If you must kneel on both knees, be sure you don’t twist your back as you turn. Crawl, don’t stoop, to move. Wearing kneepads makes this easier to do. Slide the load, whenever possible, to lessen the weight on your back.
MOVE RIGHT
• READY - Think It Through
• SET - Do a side bend - Stand or sit with your hands clasped overhead. Lean to one side, stretching as far as you can. Feel a slight pull from your shoulder to your waist. Hold for a count of 5; repeat 3 times on each side.
• GO - Hold loads close. Balance your back. Pivot, don’t twist. Step, don’t reach. Bend your knees.
BUILDING A LOAD
• READY - Know the Right Strategy
• SET - Do arm circles - stand or sit with your arms straight out from your sides. Slowly move your arms in circles, gradually increasing the size of the circles. Continue for 30 seconds. Rest, then repeat 3 times.
• GO - Lift the load, readjust your grip. Use your legs, readjust your grip. Set the load down.
PUSHING & PULLING
• READY – Plot Your Move
• SET – Do a wall slide. Stand with your back against a wall and your feet apart. Slide into a half-sitting position. Hold for a count of 10, then slide back up. Repeat 3 times.
• GO – Push it. Place your hands on the load and bend your elbows. Bend your knees, putting one foot forward. Push off with your back leg and take short, steady steps.
• GO – When you must pull, get a firm grip on the load, bending your elbows slightly. Bend your knees, putting one foot back for balance. Push off with your forward leg, taking short, steady steps.
THE HOMESTRETCH
When you’re heading for home at the end of your shift, your back will feel a lot better if you used the right lifting and moving techniques throughout the day. You can enjoy your free time more when you’re less tired and your body is flexible and pain free.
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