Engaged With Lifting
by Kayla Ward, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, CES
If you’ve ever heard a Work Right Injury Prevention Specialist use the phrase “engage your core when lifting” and felt unsure how to do it correctly, you’re not alone. While we might visualize a powerlifter wearing a weight belt in the gym, our bodies are designed to create that same internal support naturally during everyday tasks. So, let us help shed some light on the topic!
If you’ve ever heard a Work Right Injury Prevention Specialist use the phrase “engage your core when lifting” and felt unsure how to do it correctly, you’re not alone. While we might visualize a powerlifter wearing a weight belt in the gym, our bodies are designed to create that same internal support naturally during everyday tasks. So, let us help shed some light on the topic.
Step 1: Diaphragmatic Breathing
Engaging the core begins with diaphragmatic breathing. Rather than expanding only through the chest, we want the abdomen and rib cage to expand as well.
Lie on your back on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place one hand on the chest and one hand on the rib cage and feel your rib cage expand without your chest hand moving as much when you breathe in through the nose. As you exhale through your mouth, tighten the lower abdominal muscles drawing them in toward your spine.
Imagine zipping up a zipper from your pubic bone to your belly button.
Step 2: Find Your Neutral Spine
Next, we layer breathing with proper body and hip positioning to find neutral spine positioning. A neutral spine can help distribute the forces more efficiently and reduce any unnecessary stress on the spine.
When lying on your back, you’ll notice a small natural curve in the low back. If you flatten the back completely to the floor, the pelvis tucks under. If you arch excessively, the pelvis rotates forward. A neutral spine is the midpoint between these two positions. In this alignment, you should feel gentle engagement through the core – not straining, but active and supported. This posture provides optimal mechanics for lifting and daily movement.
Bringing It All Together
These two steps take a bit of practice and time to get used to and especially when putting them together. It is important to avoid holding our breath when we are lifting. Once you are in proper alignment, take a breath in through your nose, feeling the rib cage expand. Begin the lift while exhaling through your mouth, maintaining core engagement throughout your movement.
Teamwork Prevents
We’ve all rushed a lift using only the low back, and it usually feels harder than it should. As industrial athletes handling repeated loads, consistent core engagement is essential. When working alongside teammates, support one another by reinforcing safe lifting mechanics and reminding each other to prepare before lifting. It’s easy to become complacent during routine tasks, but a culture of accountability and teamwork helps reduce injury risk and keeps everyone working safely.
Kayla Ward, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, CES || Kayla is a Certified Athletic Trainer with over 12 years of experience managing musculoskeletal injuries. She earned her Master’s degree from PennWest University in Exercise Science and Health Promotion: Rehabilitation Sciences. Passionate about expanding the role of athletic trainers, Kayla has explored a variety of non-traditional settings in the field. She currently serves as the Chair of the Committee on Practice Advancement for the Oregon Athletic Training Society. When she’s not working, Kayla enjoys hiking, camping, and kayaking with her family and dog, Ellie.
Be sure to check out our other blogs for further injury prevention education and tips for the industrial athlete from Work Right NW!