Lifting Injury at Work

How lifting injuries happen

A single heavy or awkward lift, a load that shifts, lifting away from the body, twisting while loaded, or hundreds of ordinary lifts in a shift that add up. The low back takes most of it, followed by the shoulder, neck and knee. Warehouse, delivery, construction, healthcare, hospitality and retail workers see these most.

Symptoms worth getting examined

• Low back pain, with or without pain into the buttock or leg
• A sudden pull or pop followed by stiffness
• Pain with bending, sitting or standing up
• Shoulder or neck pain after an overhead or away-from-the-body lift
• Numbness, tingling or weakness in a leg or arm

What the first visit covers

• A history of the lift: the weight, the position, what you felt and when
• A physical examination of the spine, hips and shoulders
• A treatment plan written for your injury and the work you do
• A work status note describing what you can and cannot do while you recover, including a lifting limit
• Referrals for imaging or pain management when the provider finds they are needed

Treatment for a lifting injury

Treatment reduces pain and protects the injured area first, restores movement second, and then rebuilds lifting strength and technique so the injury does not return the week you go back to full duty. Chiropractic care and physical therapy are the core of the plan. If symptoms run into a leg or arm, the provider decides whether imaging is needed before progressing.

Your work status note

Lifting injuries almost always come with a stated lifting limit and often limits on bending and twisting. The limit is raised at follow-up visits as you improve, so your employer always has current restrictions in writing.