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Tips to Avoid Injuries While Moving

Moving home is quite an event, filled with tasks to carry out, everyday responsibilities to take care of and coordinate the whole process. No matter how hard you try you still haven't found the time to make a checklist of all the things you have to attend to and before you even realize it you find yourself in a tremendous hassle. So instead of taking it step by step, everything has turned out to be this merry-go-round of stress and deadlines. And this is exactly when most of the mistakes are bound to be made. Mistakes that could cost you not just your time and money but your physical health as well. And you only wanted a stress free move. So, what is it that you could do in order to avoid injuries while moving?

Watch your back! – Back injuries

Many of us spend their day to day sitting. Sitting while working, sitting while watching a TV show or a movie, sitting while waiting. Our backs aren't the greatest fans of sedentary way of living. This goes to show that our vertebra is probably already suffering some micro damages. When moving time comes and you need to lift something heavy, our tip to avoid moving injury of this type would be to do it with your whole body. This way you will reduce the possibility of a strain or a pinched nerve. Of course, a fraction of carelessness could lead to an even worse body damage, so bear in mind the consequences of your actions when you get to the lifting part.
avoid injuries while moving after heavy lifting cartoon
To avoid injuries while moving such as this one is of utmost importance.

Avoid injuries while moving: tips and tricks for your back

  • Don’t rush and be aware of your limitations. - So what if you can't lift that bulky old sofa of yours on your own? If the more responsible thing to do would be to contact a professional moving company, then do so! It's really important to act as an adult and if needed, pay a bit extra for a quality packing service.
  • The well-known proper method. - With this technique, we once more insist and underline the importance of using your whole body when doing the lifting. This means keeping your back straight, keeping the focus on the legs and don't leave the whole burden on your upper body. Feel free to look it up online before you dive into those huge boxes.

Sprained ankles or how not provoke a limp

Being focused and maintaining your attention is the number one tip (when you come to think about it, this goes for all your activities, don't you agree?). Sprained ankles can occur in diverse situations. Those are usually treated with at-home care after which your ankle will be healed in a matter of days. Sprained ankles aren't the most common type of injury, but that doesn't mean it can't happen to you. The stretching of the ligaments beyond their limits and tearing (which is how a sprained ankle occurs) happens during a workout, but... isn't moving with all the lifting and running around a kind of physical exercise?

Avoid injuries while moving and keep your ankles safe

The most important piece of equipment for your physical activity is adequate footwear, isn't it? Well, the same goes for moving. High-quality sneakers will prevent or reduce the potential injury thanks to good friction and a rubber walking surface. Make sure you have the floor cleaned, so you avoid the Lego effect. You know, stepping on a small object which can be quite painful. Those little things can even cause you to fall right down on the ground.
a shoe about to step on a banana peel
Be sure to remove all the objects from the floor in order to avoid an accident.

How to avoid moving injuries and protect your hands, fingers, and toes

From the most ordinary blisters to splinters and reckless coordination of heavy boxes and furniture, you are running the risk of causing damage to your hands, fingers, and toes. Some silly situations such as dropping a heavy box or whatever the bulky item you're holding in your hands can cause severe pain and/or would call for medical assistance. Let's see what some concrete measures of prevention you can take are:
  • Take things one step at a time. Forcing yourself can bring no good to you (physically or mentally), so wait a moment and consider what would be the best approach to a certain situation you're handling. Or hire a professional mover that can help you.
  • Sneakers and clothes. Make sure to wear something comfy. It is of utmost importance that you can move without restrictions. Also, your footwear, as previously noted, should let you feel good and can have a protective function. For example, if by any chance you happen to drop something, a good pair of sneakers can mitigate the effect of the fall.
  • Gloves for extra protection. - They will keep your hands dry, will prevent blisters and will prevent your hands from slipping the things you need to hold.
cartoon of a glove
Don’t forget to put on some gloves for an extra layer of protection!

How to avoid injuries while moving: your muscles

Muscle injuries can also vary from mild to severe. Whether it is cramps, strains or contusions, heavy lifting can cause physical damage to your body. No matter which body constitution you have, muscles are prone to stress so we repeat, it is really important that you be aware of your limits. Let's see what is there to be done in order to avoid injuries while moving and preventing them from occurring to you.
  • Warm up! This is an old-school advice you probably heard thousand times at your gym (class), but really jumping into exercising can be dangerous even. Warming up prepares your muscles for exercising and prevents the potential injuries.
  • Don't forget to eat (and drink). We understand that at these stressful times people tend to forget about their basic needs, but you shouldn't let that happen to you. Proper meals and staying hydrated is a must when dealing with moving.
  • Step by step. - Although it may appear reasonable at first, actually starting from heavy lifting isn't the best idea. This takes us back to the warming up part, so you can observe it from that point of view. Think of this whole process as a regular visit to the gym. You wouldn't jump to weights right away, now would you? If all of this sounds a bit frightening to you and you really don’t want to hurt yourself along the way, there’s a simple and elegant solution. Leave it to a professional moving company and you’ll be without a worry in the world.
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