Avoiding Soft Tissue Injuries Avoiding Soft Tissue Injuries Company Harlan McPhee North McPhee South Powerhawke Ravex Richards Company Using the Form Job Name * Job Name and/or Number Date * Avoiding Soft Tissue Injuries Bones are designed to bear loads. Soft tissues – muscles, ligaments, and tendons – are designed to move bones or hold bones in place. When we use soft tissues to bear loads, we risk injuring them. Acute injuries occur suddenly, when the forces we experience are more than our soft tissues can handle. Cumulative trauma occurs when microdamage to soft tissues is done over long periods and is never repaired, until one day, snap! Here are five principles that will help you avoid soft tissue injuries. You will not be able to use them 100 percent of the time, and that’s okay. Using then 70 percent of the time will still help you significantly reduce the likelihood of a soft tissue injury. Face Forward Twisting is one of the surest ways to incur a soft tissue injury, particularly if it’s done consistently over time. Instead of twisting, rotate your feet so your whole body is aligned with the work you’re doing. If you’re shoveling dirt, for instance, take a step to pick dirt up, and then step to the spot where you put the dirt down. Keep Close When you reach to get work done, you place more forces on your soft tissues than you do if you keep the work close to your body. Imagine holding a ten-pound object at chin level with fully extended arms; you may be able to do so for brief periods, but you will quickly tire. Holding that same object close to your chest allows the weight of the object to travel through your bones to the ground, reducing the amount of load your soft tissues have to bear. Avoid Waist Bends Like a crane, the lower the angle of the lift the more forces are borne by the crane. Bending to lift an object can force your soft tissues to bear up to 2/3 of your own weight plus the weight of what’s being lifted. Use a side lift, where the back is kept straight and the object is lifted against a hip, or a golfer’s lift, in which one leg is used as a fulcrum when an object is picked up. Take a Wide Stance Taking a wide stance distributes forces over a larger area, which reduces the amount of force borne by your soft tissues. Use Support Instead of making muscles work hard, use your bones to transfer forces to the ground. If you’re squatting, drop a knee to the ground. Steady yourself by holding the bumper of a truck. Hold the handrail as you ascend or descend steps. When you do, you’ll notice the difference in how hard your soft tissues are working. These principles do take some getting used to, and can’t be used for every task. But once you have a comfort level with them, they will help reduce the risk of you suffering a soft tissue injury. Additional Comments Trainer Name * Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Picture Upload Drop a file here or click to upload Choose File Maximum upload size: 52.43MB reCAPTCHA If you are human, leave this field blank. Submit Δ
