Heavy lifting

Body: 

Dear Christine,

I have a backpack vacuum cleaner that weighs about 12 pounds, and I typically use it for an hour at a stretch. Being small myself -- under 100 pounds -- it is heavy and awkward for me. Do you think it's bad for my prolapse? Would you recommend replacing it with a model that remains on the floor? Can you comment in general about how lifting affects prolapse?

Thanks,

Naomi

Hi Naomi,

I'm half blind from too much close work with my eyes and did not read your post accurately. Wow! They make a backpack vacuum? I didn't know that, but have often thought that there should be such a thing available. As I said initially, housework is very hard on prolapse. Vacuuming is the worst! When we push something along out in front of us, our body is placed in that wide V-shape that I

...about lifting...

The orthopedic literature says to use the knees to bend down and to lift with a straight back. The lumbar curve is very important in stabilizing the spine while lifting, but as you can demonstrate for yourself, it's impossible to maintain the lumbar curve while lifting something heavy off the ground, and the best we can do is not bend over and lift, but to lift with a straight back.

I can't give you any parameters to go by as far as weight. Use your best judgement and try to stay in the posture as much as possible. It's a matter of pulling yourself back into the posture over and over again throughout your workday. I never let my prolapse interfere with my heavy-lifting lifestyle, but am always very cautious about how I lift...