Working as a courier can put tremendous stress on your back for several reasons. For a start, you are usually sitting in a driver’s seat for most of the day and prolonged periods of sitting can put a lot of strain on your lower spine.
Then you have the added task of loading and unloading large and heavy packages. All that bending over and stretching, as well as carrying heavy loads, can do lasting damage to your back.
However, you can lighten the load by following some of these top tips:
Prevention is better than cure
Keeping yourself active and in good shape can help prevent persistent back pain when working as a courier. Regular exercise can help strengthen the muscles around your spine, making it less likely that you will experience pain when lifting heavy items.
Of course, low impact activities are best as these won’t put too much strain on your back. Walking and swimming are good activities to build up the muscles around your spine without putting too much stress on your back.
Yoga and Pilates can help increase your flexibility and improve core stability, which benefits you when you are lifting large and heavy items.
Get some support
Many people who work as couriers or in warehouses experience pain in their back and wrists due to the strenuous nature of the job. Wearing wrist and lumbar supports can help ease the pain. A wrist support can help prevent damage to your wrists, which can experience a lot of movement in many different directions when lifting packages.
Lumbar support belts are also designed to provide support for your lower back. It’s worth remembering when you are getting supports for your back or wrists to make sure they fit properly and provide you with the support where you need it. What works for one person may not work for you, so take your time when choosing the right supports.
Lift properly
One of the major causes of strain on your back may come from the way you are lifting. For a start, if something feels too heavy, you shouldn’t attempt to lift it as it will cause an injury. Use a trolley or ask someone else to help.
When you are lifting items, make sure you keep your back straight and bend with your knees, keeping your head up too. You shouldn’t have to lean over to pick up the item and you should keep it as close to you as possible when lifting it. This is where good core strength is beneficial. By pulling in your stomach muscles, you can keep your back straight without putting undue stress on it.
Take a break As many couriers spend a lot of their time driving their vehicle and therefore sitting for prolonged periods, this puts pressure on the back muscles and spinal discs. It is important, therefore, to take regular breaks to stretch your legs and loosen out any tension or stress in your back