You should bend your knees when you lift something heavy

6 myths about lower back pain, busted

Leading experts weigh in on the myths about lower back pain, what’s really going on and the best approaches to help your aching back heal

By Jane Langille

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Myth 4: You should bend your knees when you lift something heavy

“Proper lifting mechanics require you to actually lift with the hips, not with the knees, otherwise you will just end up with knee arthritis,” says Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics and chair of the department of kinesiology at the University of Waterloo. 

When lifting something heavy, you should try to disperse the weight throughout all of the muscles of the body. It’s important to contract your abdominals throughout the lift and keep the object as close to your body as possible, lifting from the hips. If you only need to pick up something small, use a golfer’s lift: keep your back straight and bend down from the hip with one leg out behind you for balance.