Most common injuries among moving professionals

Moving is hard and demanding work. Not only will it physically challenge you, but the chance of incurring injuries is also relatively high. This is why it is always better to hire moving professionals to help you out. However, you can still get hurt even if you are a professional. And it is not always because you made a mistake! Some injuries can sneak up on you when you least expect them, and there is almost nothing you can do about them. It is for this reason that you should always be as careful as possible when handling items during a move. To help reduce the chances of you getting injured, Arizona Moving Professionals have put together the list of most common injuries among moving professionals, explaining how they happen and why!

Minor cuts and bruises

Now, these are the most common injuries you can encounter. Luckily, they are not very harmful, with no real threat to your long-term health. However, even if that’s the case, no one likes pain! Thankfully, they are also very preventable. The first step is wearing the proper equipment. Make sure to always have on a pair of thick gloves. Equally valuable are padded shirts and pants, though wearing such an ensemble during summer can be challenging to bear. Finally, make sure you have a pair of quality boots, so bumps and potential splinters (which can be expected in houses under renovation) can’t easily hurt you. Such injuries also occur due to haste and thinking a task is easy. Even if you are just carrying a couple of boxes, don’t rush!

Back injuries

Everyone’s had a sore back once or twice. If you are just starting out as a professional mover, you will likely suffer a lot from it at first. Even if they are used to working out, most people are not prepared for the repetitive task of lifting and putting down what will likely seem like an endless number of boxes. However, things get trickier when discussing other ways to injure your back, like throwing out your back, straining your back muscles, or overburdening your back and fracturing a spinal disk. Never lift a hefty object without assistance to prevent these as much as possible. Overestimating your ability is a sure way to earn an injury. In addition, you should try not to bend over when picking up items and do a small squat instead to avoid putting pressure on your back.

Sore neck

This is another injury mostly indicative of beginner professional movers. However, it can still plague their more experienced colleagues. Suffering from neck pain, in moving professionals, is primarily a sign of overexerting yourself. When picking up or holding things, we tend to stiffen our muscles in preparation for how heavy they would be. Due to the close connection of muscles in your back and neck, you are likely clenching your neck muscles. However, doing so for an extended time can cause inflammation or excessive straining and leave you suffering from neck pain. We suggest loosening your muscles as much as possible, particularly when lifting an item. Of course, it is impossible to do so entirely, but if you pay attention, you will notice if you are stiffening your neck in addition to your back.

Broken fingers and toes

This is one of the most severe injuries you can get and are the somewhat less intense version of broken limbs. Of course, neither is a small deal, and both can affect your health and ability to work long-term. First, most such injuries happen when getting something into or out of the moving truck, so be fully equipped for various tasks ahead! Make sure you have the necessary ramps, carts, and stair climbers to ensure the safety of the belongings, but more importantly, your safety. In addition, such injuries commonly happen due to losing your grip on an item. Thick rubber grip gloves can help you both keep hold of an item and reduce the severity of the damage, so make sure to include them in your equipment! Finally, if such an injury occurs, you must immediately seek medical attention. Improperly set bones can heal wrong and trouble you for life.

Sprained ankle

Another common injury and quite easily earned, too. All it takes is a single misstep to sprain your ankle. And the pain of such an injury could prevent you from working for a considerable time. While there is no absolute way of preventing a sprained ankle, there are ways to reduce the chances of it happening. First, always be aware of your surroundings. Such injuries often occur because you suddenly try to avoid colliding with something or missing a step on the stairs. Secondly, try not to lift things too suddenly. Heavy items can make you stumble if you are not braced for them properly, which increases the chance of spraining your ankle.

Overexertion

Overexertion is a hard thing to look out for. We are often not aware of the fact that we are hitting our limit. However, it is crucial not to push yourself too far too quickly, particularly if you work as a mover. The job strain makes it trivially easy to drive yourself over the edge. This comes with several nasty potential consequences: torn or inflamed muscles, chronic headaches, nausea, and blurred vision. If you are experiencing any of these, no matter how mild, you might want to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor. They can help alleviate the issues and offer a proper diagnosis.

Final Words

Working as a moving professional is complex and demanding work. You should try to look out for yourself and minimize the chances of getting hurt as much as you can. If you can do so by taking precautions, then it is your duty to yourself and your family. We hope that our list of the most common injuries among moving professionals has helped you prepare yourself for doing that.