Back care fundamentals for healthcare professionals

Patient care often involves a huge amount of physical activity from manual handling tasks such as moving and repositioning patients to simply being on the move all day.

Research has shown nursing to be the profession with the greatest amount of heavy lifting and is the biggest risk factor for the development of musculoskeletal injuries, particularly in the lower back.

According to the work related Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders in Britain report, 70,000 NHS workers suffer from MSK symptoms with over 18 days a year of MSK-related sickness absences taken on average per employee.

Incorrect patient handling or not having the right equipment are the usual culprits for triggering MSK disorders. To minimise the risk of injury, it is essential to follow Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.

These state that you should avoid manual handling operations so far as is reasonably practicable, assess those that cannot be avoided and reduce the risk of injury wherever possible.

With a busy workload, overtime and never-ending pressures in healthcare, there is far more exposure to physical demands and less time to take care of your own back health. Yet it is crucial to prioritise your own well-being and for employers to encourage regular breaks and leaving work on time.

In this blog post, we will explore some effective stretches that can be incorporated into routines to alleviate tension and reduce the risk of injury.

Cat-Cow Stretch:
• Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone toward the ceiling (cat position).
• Exhale as you round your back, tucking your chin to your chest and drawing your belly button towards your spine (cow position).
• Repeat this flowing movement for 1-2 minutes to increase flexibility in the spine.

Child’s Pose:
• Begin on your hands and knees and sit back on your heels, reaching your arms forward.
• Allow your forehead to rest on the floor, stretching your arms and elongating your spine.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, focusing on deep breaths to release tension in the lower back.

Trunk Rotation Stretch:
• Sit or stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Gently twist your upper body to one side, using your hands to guide the movement.
• Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
• This stretch helps to improve flexibility in the spine and alleviate tension in the lower back.

Hamstring Stretch:
• Sit on the floor with one leg extended and the other bent so that the sole of your foot rests against the inner thigh of the extended leg.
• Lean forward, reaching for the toes of the extended leg.
• Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds and switch to the other leg.
• Stretching the hamstrings can relieve pressure on the lower back.

Seated glute stretch:
• Find a chair to sit on for this stretch.
• Cross one leg over the other, making sure that your foot is on your opposite knee.
• Lean into the crossed leg to apply some pressure.
• Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.
• This gentle stretch will soothe those overworked muscles in your back, hips or glutes.

Incorporating these stretches into your daily routine can contribute to better back health and help prevent injuries associated with manual handling tasks.

Prioritising your own health and wellbeing will help keep you comfortable at work and home and be able to provide the best care for patients – embrace some self-care time!