Fire fighting is a physically challenging job, even for the fittest of fire fighters.
Many fire fighting tasks place excess stress on the back. Unfortunately, when any part of the back is weak, injury can occur. Back injuries are the leading cause of disability and disability retirement for fire fighters. It is important for fire fighters to learn how to strengthen their backs to minimize the chance of pain, injury and disability. It is equally important to learn proper body mechanics to avoid stressing the back with routine activities.