Being in shape is one way to help prevent injury to your back and onset of lower back pain. By keeping fit, you keep your muscles strong, taking the burden off your back. That being said, even fit people can injure their back if they don't observe proper body mechanics. This means that you need to be aware of how you move, how you lift objects, and how you carry them. Contrary to what some people think, you don't have to be lifting something heavy to injury your back. You could be bending over to pick up a pencil off the floor and still hurt yourself.

Remember to always bend at the knees when picking something off the floor, no matter how small. This way, your leg muscles will take the weight of your upper body and the object you are lifting. If the object you are carrying is heavy, bend at the elbows and hold it as close to you as you can. This, again, prevents your back from taking the weight of the object. Finally, always move in straight-ahead fashion while carrying something, do not turn at the waist. If you want to move a heavy object from a table in front of you to a counter beside you, pick up the object as described earlier. With your feet, turn your body so you are facing the counter and then lower the object on to it. If you must put the object on the floor, you must bend your knees as you should when lifting something.