This is the common mantra that we always hear whenever we go to lift something and someone watching wants to chime in with useful advice. While it can be irritating to be told this regularly though, it is also true and it’s the single most important way to avoid an injury that could affect your spine.

The problem is that when many people lift a heavy box or chair, they will do so by bending their spine over then straightening it to lift. This places all of the pressure right on the spine itself and means you’re much more likely to pull a muscle there or even experience a slipped disc.

Lifting with your legs, on the other hand, involves squatting down in front of the object you want to lift with your back straight or slightly diagonal, grabbing hold of it, then pushing through your legs to stand up directly without moving your back forward or backward. Your legs have much more stable joints and are far more capable of pushing, so this should greatly reduce the chance of injury. Imagine that there is a meter stick down the back of your shirt that is tucked into your jeans. Your objective while lifting is not to break or bend that stick.

The same goes for other types of movements too. If you’re sliding a piece of furniture out from a corner, for instance, don’t try pulling it by twisting your upper torso around or you will risk trapping a nerve. Position yourself from behind where you will have some purchase and then heave through your legs again.