It is shockingly easy to hurt yourself while moving into a new home. It involves lifting heavy objects for an extended period, which is a leading cause of back pain. It's also easy to injury a foot by dropping a heavy box or appliance on it. Fortunately, most of these injuries are preventable. Lifting with proper form, using the right tools, and simply being careful can all significantly reduce the risk of an injury while moving. They can also make it easier and more comfortable, so there's no reason not to try them out.

Lift with Care

Proper form is the key to lifting heavy weights without injury. The classic advice is to lift with your legs, not your back, and that is generally true. However, there are a few more details that are important to keep in mind.

Proper form starts with the feet, since they provide a solid foundation for the rest of the body. They should shoulder-width apart, planted firmly on the ground, and one should be a little bit in front of the other. The lifting movement should come from the knees and the hips, which can take much more weight than the back. It is best to squat down to pick things up off of the ground, and then slowly straighten while keeping the load close to the body to stand up again. Keeping the back during the whole process is vital for preventing injury, and it should be a top priority.

Stay Cool

Humans are remarkably prone to overheating. Heat stroke is the most common problem associated with moving in high temperatures, but cramps and a variety of other problems can also occur. They happen because the human body can only function properly within a narrow range of temperatures. It's easy to exceed those temperatures while moving in hot weather because physical activity creates body heat. That makes it vital to take steps to control the problem.

The simplest solution is for people who are feeling too hot to take a break in the shade until they cool down. Consuming water and electrolytes can also help, and is vital for staying healthy while sweating. Moving during the cooler parts of the day and relaxing during the hottest can also be useful as a preventative tool, but it often requires careful scheduling to get the work done.

Get Help

One of the biggest dangers of moving is doing too much work too quickly. A body can only do so much before it starts to suffer, and most people find that the work of moving puts them beyond their limits. Slowing down is not an option for people who need to move on a tight schedule, so in many cases the only practical solution is to hire help.

Hiring professional movers will spread out the workload and make sure that nobody does more work than they can tolerate. The movers will also be familiar with every trick in the book to make sure the process goes smoothly, and that boosted efficiency also reduce the amount of work that needs to be done. They can also be familiar with safety precautions that are specific to the area. For example, experienced San Antonio movers know how to do the work in a hot environment while avoiding the dangers of heat stroke and other temperature-related problems.

Know Your Limits

Most of the medical problems associated with moving ultimately come from people doing more work than they can handle. Sudden injuries do happen due to accidents, but it is more common for people to feel pain or discomfort and keep working until those symptoms develop into a serious problem.

Avoiding that problem is easy. Simply recognize that pain is the body's way of saying that it is in trouble, and stop when things start to hurt. It is necessary to plan extra time for the move to take these breaks into account, but they're the best way to prevent medical problems.