Understand your back

Back injuries account for one-fifth of the injuries and illnesses in the workplace. Most of these are injuries to the lower back and are associated with lifting or moving materials.

One way to protect your back is to understand how it works:

Your back is composed of vertebrae, discs, nerves and muscles.

• Vertebrae - 33 of them are cylindrical bones which enclose the spinal cord, stacked vertically together, separated by discs to form the vertebral column or spine.
• Nerves carry electrical impulses throughout the body. The spinal cord stretches the length of the spine through the vertebral column. Smaller nerves branch out between each vertebrae.
• Muscles are tissues in the body which provide support and contract to produce movement.
• Ligaments are bands of tissue that connect bones or cartilage together to support and strengthen joints.
• Tendons are cords of connective tissue which attach muscle to bone.

Protect your back, and all its parts, by using lifting equipment, lifting correctly and using good posture.