Safe Techniques for Lifting Heavy Items: Avoid Injury

Dealing with the Challenges of Carrying Heavy Loads as You Age

According to Consumer Reports, it’s not unusual to find lifting heavy objects like grocery bags or cooking pots more challenging as you get older.

The Decline in Strength with Age

A study highlighted in the journal Work in 2013 featured nearly 5,000 adults. It found that those in their 40s could comfortably lift 17% more weight than those in their 60s. As explained by Jennifer Brach, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Pittsburgh, this decline in strength is due to the natural loss of muscle mass with age.

The decline in cardiovascular capacity that accompanies aging can also make you tire more quickly when carrying heavy items, says Todd Manini, co-director of the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In addition, joint, muscle, nerve, and flexibility issues can make tasks like moving furniture and placing luggage into overhead bins more challenging.

How to Deal with These Changes

Setting Yourself up for Success

Regular exercise can counter the declines that make lifting and carrying harder. Manini suggests aiming for at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming weekly. Strength-training at least twice a week can keep your muscles strong. Regular stretching can help maintain flexibility.

In your home, strategic organization can make a big difference. Place heavy items you use often in easily accessible spots on shelves or cabinets — not high up or low down. Keeping the area well lit and free of trip hazards can also help prevent accidents.

Whether at home or out, breaking up loads so that each one is lighter can make things easier. This may mean fewer items in each grocery bag or a smaller laundry basket. As Brach points out, “Think of it as exercise. The more trips you make, the more steps you’re getting.”

Lifting and Carrying the Right Way

Preparing your body for lifting and carrying can also minimize strain and prevent injury. Before lifting, loosen joints and warm up muscles with five minutes of walking or marching in place, squats, and shoulder rolls.

When you’re ready to lift, get close to the object, making sure it’s no more than a few inches away from your body. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart for stability and use your legs, not your back, to lift. Keep your head up and your shoulders back, and hold the object at waist height, close to your body. Then straighten your legs. While carrying the item, ensure it’s not obstructing your vision and take small steps.

Additional Tips and Tools

An inexpensive grabber tool can extend your reach by up to three feet, making it easier to reach high shelves or objects on the floor. For moving furniture and other heavy objects, consider using round disks called sliders. If you need to transport heavy items up or down stairs, a bag is a safer alternative to a basket. A wheeled cart can make moving heavy shopping bags easier and a car organizer can keep objects in your trunk within reach.

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Read more at ConsumerReports.org.