How to Avoid Injury While Moving Across the Country

Relocating is always a major undertaking. It’s physically taxing and can lead to injury if you’re not careful. So, it’s essential to learn how to avoid injury while moving and take steps to protect your body while making your big move. Here are some tips to help you stay safe and healthy during the process.

A man experiencing back pain after moving across the country overlay
January 25, 2023 Posted in How-to

The first thing you should do is to learn how to properly lift heavy furniture without straining your back. You should also make sure to warm up and stretch beforehand, as this will help reduce soreness during the move. Don’t forget to take regular breaks throughout the move to avoid fatigue and strain. Proceed with learning how to pack smart, which will surely help in avoiding injuries. Get the needed equipment and hire professional movers that will do everything. These are some of the necessary steps you need to think about if you want to move without injuring yourself.

Why Learning How to Avoid Injury While Moving Is Extremely Important?

Avoiding any kind of injury during the move is a must. Not only because there could be some serious harm, but you might be unable to finish up the relocation process. Without the proper knowledge, you may be more prone to injuring yourself during a move due to improper lifting techniques, lack of stretching or warm-up exercises beforehand, and other hazardous activities.

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Injuries sustained during a move can range from minor cuts and scrapes to more serious issues such as sprained ankles or pulled muscles. These can quickly become worse if proper precautions are not taken, resulting in more severe injury, an extended recovery period, and increased relocation stress. So, you must take the necessary steps to protect yourself and stay out of injuries that can easily happen when you lift heavy objects.

A woman carrying a stack of cardboard boxes
Be aware of potential injuries while relocating and how to avoid them

Organize the Move and Don’t Do Anything in a Rush

When it comes to organizing the move, it is important to take your time and not rush through any of the steps. If you wish to prevent any potential pain, try not to move at the last minute and organize the relocation properly. Make a plan for how you will go about packing and relocating all of your items in an efficient and organized manner.

Before you begin the process of packing up all of your belongings, make sure you have a solid idea of what you are taking and where it will go in your new home. This will help ensure that your move is as efficient and organized as possible.

The organization is especially important when relocating with kids and your furry friends. You surely want to protect them and not risk them getting injured. In that case, it’s best to hire a sitter or drop them off to a family member or a friend before the long-distance moving company comes.

Ensure Your Place Is Adequately Prepared for Cross-Country Movers

Before the cross-country movers arrive at your place, you should ensure both you and your home are adequately prepared for them. There are several steps you can take to ensure your place is ready when the movers arrive on the first day of the move.

First, clear a path from the entrance of your home to the truck or van. Relocating large and heavy items can be difficult, so it is important to make the paths easier for movers to travel. If you have stairs, make sure that they are free from any obstructions so the movers can easily navigate them with the items they’re carrying.

Dress Lightly and Have the Needed Gear

The likelihood of getting hurt during the move-day preparation depends on what you wear. In fact, you should make sure you wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing that enables easy movement. Wearing pants, long sleeves, and gloves can protect you from getting scratched or cut, and wearing closed-toe shoes can protect your toes from getting smashed if anything large were to fall on your foot. Heavy-duty work boots can provide even more ankle support to prevent twisting while cross-country moving.

A woman picking clothes for a cross-country moving day
Ensure you have comfortable, yet protective clothes on a big day

Prepare Physically and Mentally for the Big Move

Relocation to a new home is a big event that requires both physical and mental preparation. On the physical side of things, besides getting all the right equipment and making an inventory list of your belongings, you need to prepare your body for the process. Start by doing some basic stretching exercises in the mornings and evenings.

On the mental side of things, give yourself time to adjust to the idea of moving. Start saying goodbye to old friends and neighbors and begin getting accustomed to your new surroundings. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family and friends if needed. Also, make sure to take time out for yourself during this busy process – go for a walk, read a book or watch a movie, whatever helps you relax.

A woman lying on the bed and using a laptop
Prepare mentally and physically when relocating to another place

Be Aware of Your Own Limits

Moving day can be an all-day affair, but that doesn’t mean you should try to power through without taking a single break. Taking regular breaks will give your body time to rest and recharge so that it doesn’t become fatigued or overworked. This will help prevent any minor aches from becoming more serious injuries down the line. Aim for 10-15 minute breaks at least once every hour or two as needed throughout the day.

Ask for Much Needed Help From Family and Friends

Moving can be a stressful experience, so when you move to another state, it’s important to have the help of family and friends for much-needed help. Your friends may be able to provide transportation assistance or even lend you a truck to move your belongings. Family members are also a great source of emotional support and can help with packing and unpacking. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, as your close ones will almost always be happy to assist you.

Check Out Some Lifting Techniques

You’ve likely heard the old proverb, “Lift with the legs, not your back!” However, there is more to safe and effective weight lifting than merely squatting. By keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, you can ensure a stable foundation. Then, squat down to put the strain on your legs rather than your back. Stand up straight, and don’t forget to take deep breaths. Check out other lifting tips.

Stretch before you lift

It might sound like something out of a fitness class, but stretching before lifting is an important way to prevent muscle strain and other injuries. This is especially important if you’re packing heavy boxes or furniture on your own. Stretching helps warm up the muscles, allowing them to bear more weight without causing injury. Simple stretches like shoulder rolls, arm circles, and squats can go a long way in protecting your body from strain when lifting items for your move.

Lift the item above the head

If you want to avoid unnecessary muscle tension, this will maintain a straight spine and lessen the load on your lower back.

Keep the lifting weight close to your body

If you want to avoid unnecessary muscle tension, keep the weight against your body or close to it.

If you prepare well physically, you will not get injured. But, for some people, these exercises just won’t be enough. That’s why you should watch the video below and learn some more tips on how you can warm up.

Pack Properly and Don’t Overload Boxes

Packing lightly for every move is what all professional long-distance movers will suggest. So, when you decide where to move, proceed with figuring out what to keep and what things you can get rid of. Since you have to sort your belongings anyways, this is just an inevitable step of the move. Keep in mind you can always donate your stuff online on the Goodwill website and that there are some things movers won’t move.

The heavier an item is, the greater chance of injury when lifting it into a moving truck or onto a dolly. To avoid this problem altogether, break down larger items into smaller components, if possible, before packing them up for transport – think bed frames instead of mattresses and couches. This not only makes them easier to lift (and thus less likely to cause injury) but also reduces their bulkiness and allows for more efficient packing in the truck itself.

Ensure Your Lifts Are Light

When it comes to organizing packing, make sure that you pack heavier items in smaller boxes and lighter items in larger boxes. You should never overload a box because if something is too heavy for you to lift, then it’s too heavy to put into a box. Be mindful of the weight and size of each box so that they won’t be too heavy or too bulky. Make sure to evenly distribute the weight of your items between multiple boxes and label them properly (prepare relocation labels before you start the wrapping process).

A girl surrounded by boxes before long-distance moving
Don't overload the boxes and keep your lifts light

Get the Necessary Equipment That Will Make Lifting Easier

When creating a relocation checklist, don’t forget to include equipment like straps, stair dollies, furniture dollies, furniture sliders, and appliance dollies on it. These can help you move with less strain and risk of injury. As a result of the weight being transferred to the equipment, you won’t have to risk an injury and back pain after moving furniture, making the entire ordeal significantly safer and easier to pull off.

A moving dolly with a box on it
Transporting heavy objects with a dolly and traps will be much easier

Book Professional Long-Distance Movers Near You Who Will Do All the Hard Work Instead

When you need to move to another home, the last thing you want is to do everything yourself. Not only is it expensive and time-consuming, but it also can be stressful and exhausting. That’s why hiring professional movers makes a lot of sense. So, start looking for long-distance moving services on time and be careful about avoiding potential relocation scams. A reliable relocation team will take care of every detail throughout the relocation process. From packing service to loading and unloading – the movers can handle it all for you so that you don’t have to worry about a thing.

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Move Effortlessly Without Injuring Yourself

Taking a big step like relocating across the country can be one of life’s most exciting experiences, but it can also be one of its most physically taxing ones. From lifting heavy boxes on your own to struggling with big furniture pieces, it’s easy for minor aches and pains to turn into serious injuries if you don’t take care of yourself during the process. By following these tips, you can ensure that your move goes smoothly without any painful surprises along the way!

Julie Grace

Originally from The Golden City, Julie has explored the ins and outs of moving and has written all the tips down.

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