Welcome to Quiz Review for Lesson Four.

In Lesson Four, you were asked three questions. Take a few moments to compare your answers to those given here.

1. When does lifting become a risk factor for back pain?

Recall that, by itself, lifting is not a known risk factor for back pain. Other factors that make it risky include: lifting with poor technique (bending or twisting); handling unexpected, unknown, or unstable loads; lifting for more than half the work day; lifting more than 50 pounds repeatedly; worrying about getting injured while lifting at work; being overweight; having a tobacco habit.

2. Why does keeping your feet apart during lifting make your back safer when you lift?

By keeping your feet apart when you lift, you improve your body’s stability. This posture lowers your center of gravity, giving you a wide base of support. Lowering your body as you prepare to lift ensures that you bend at your hips and knees. Doing so gives you a safety advantage because this posture enables your core muscles to assist your large hip muscles with the lift.

3. How might you reply to a co-worker or supervisor who tells you that your back problem will be solved if you’d just wear a back brace when you lift at work?

Today’s research hasn’t shown that wearing a lifting belt makes lifting any safer. By itself, a lifting belt is not helpful, but it may have some value when used in combination with a complete work safety program. Lifting belts have drawbacks. They can create a false sense of security, weaken trunk muscles, and cause psychological dependence on them.