6. Equipment Carry; This requires strength and fitness, carrying anything form
hose reels to a portable pump.
Body parts affected; Carrying heavy loads can add additional stress to all
your joints and ligaments. Your lower back will be under compression which
can put extra load on the discs and joints. Your neck and shoulders are also
at risk of strain if the load is too heavy. Sharp pains can be a sign of sprain
/ strain. Pain, numbness or tingling down your leg may be a sign of nerve
irritation in your low back.
Help yourself; Regular core strength training and chiropractic care can
help maintain a healthy nervous system and spine. Avoiding twisting whilst
carrying a load will reducing the risk of injury. Safe lifting from a squat
position avoids over loading the lower back.
Your PPE weighs A LOT and it is your spine
that takes the strain;
The joints, muscles and nerves in your
spine are put under increased load
during your working day. As might be
expected, fire fighters are at increased
risk of back injury compared to other
professions secondary to rigorous physical
requirements of the occupation.
Your breathing apparatus and PPE
weighs around 25kg and increases your
energy expenditure by up to 30%. This
additional weight and workload can
compromise and damage the discs,
nerves and muscles of your spine. Your
lower back is the most vulnerable.
What are discs and how are they
affected?
Discs are the shock absorbers of your
spine, just like the suspension in your car
they take the load as you go about your
work. These discs are likened to a jam
donut, a jam like nucleus and tougher
outer shell.
With repetitive load, movement or poor
posture this shock absorber can dry out
(degenerative disc). This can result in a
disc tear (that not even duct tape can
save) allowing the jam to ooze to the
edge of the donut (disc bulge) or, if the
tear is great enough, come out. This is a
bulging slipped disc.
Back pain getting on your nerves?
Well it is no surprise! Nerve irritation as a
result of a bulging disc or mechanical
changes in the spine is not uncommon.
Having a trapped nerve can produce;
1. Pain into the glute (bum) muscles,
down the leg, in the foot or all three.
2. Numbness, pins and needles or tingling
in legs or feet (low