EMS and your back

[fit4duty]

I was wondering, is it possible to avoid back injury on the job if a back brace is used?

No. In fact the use of a back brace may accelerate you towards an injury in that your system, is not having to adapt (read strengthen itself) to the load being carried. Strengthening the abdominals, lower back, hips and hamstrings provides your body with its natural brace. The use of external equipment doesn't allow your body to work in the manner it was designed to. There is a huge difference in stabilization, when your bodies systems are carrying 100% of the load versus using assistive equipment like a back-brace or weight belt.

From the perspective of being in the biz for for 10+ years and never suffering any injury I would suggest the following:

1. if you are over-weight....LOSE IT!! The mighty keg offers no protection for your lower back, and in fact there is increased stress in those muscles because of the adjustments the spine and pelvis are forced to make to balance off the heavy loaded front end

2. if you exercise with any regularity and/or consistency, make sure you train your lower back and your abdominals to the same degree. Why? Because each one balances, supports and strengthens the other

3. KNOW YOUR LIMITS. Your most important assets on the job are your brain, your cert, and your back. You cannot function in this industry with out all three. And the truth is that you are no good to anyone on the job if you compromise any one of them. There is no way anyone can give competent care if you are bent over like a question mark and in pain because you tweaked your back moving some (insert non-pc adjective) slob you knew was too much of a load for you or your partner. This maybe unpopular, but IMHO if you can't manage your patient long enough wait for extra manpower to be able to safely (yours and the patient) move these people then maybe you should consider a career change. Remember, scene safety; yourself, your crew FIRST all other considerations are secondary. Very few of us are ever going to be in a situation where potential/probable injury is going to be the lesser pain than staying put and waiting for help.

4. take care of yourself. how many people do we know that treat their cars better than their bodies. don't laugh, you know who you are

[Dustdevil]

I thought it had already been mentioned in this thread, but apparently not, so I just want to state that the ONLY value of a "back brace" is the same value of tying a string around your finger; It should make you uncomfortable enough to constantly remind you to use proper lifting technique. Beyond that, it serves absolutely no supporting or ergonomic function whatsoever.

[CaEMT33]

Well, if you already have back issues then learning to sleep crumpled up in the front seat of an ambulance while at a post for sometimes hours, then ems probably isn't the best choice of profession for you. You mentioned that there are people around to help lift patients and equipment, ya, sometimes that's true, but sometimes it is just you and your partner. Getting your gurney into some broken down old single wide mobile home with no ramp and tight quarters is hard enough. Then throw a patient on your gurney and your equipment and your back hates you at that point. Another thing to consider is your physical relationship to your patient, a lot of times you are bent over or kneeling down trying to assist your patient, not the easiest on your back.

If you really want to do this job, talk to your doc and have him/her get you on a physical therapy program to get your back in top shape before you jump in to ems.