Final answer:
It is not safer to hold an object far from the body when lifting; this increases the risk of back injury. Proper lifting techniques, where loads are kept closer to the body and lifted with the legs while keeping the back straight, help reduce the strain on the spine.
Step-by-step explanation:
In fact, holding items closer to the center of gravity of your body reduces the strain on the spine, making lifting more efficient and reducing the risk of injury. The rationale behind this involves the forces exerted on the back while lifting.
Proper lifting techniques entail keeping the back erect and using the legs to lift, which significantly reduces the forces exerted on the spine.
When an individual does not lift properly, such as when they bend at the waist and lift with their back while holding the object away from the body, the forces exerted on the back are about 5.6 times greater than when lifting correctly with a straight back and using leg muscles. This is an important concept, as the spine is more susceptible to injury given its relative weakness compared to other joints such as the hips, knees, and ankles.
Therefore, to protect the back muscles and spine, and to prevent muscle strain and damage to discs and vertebrae, one should lift with good posture, keeping the load close to the pivot point in the hips.