Avoid carrying heavy loads in front of you when possible; strengthen your core muscles to save your back during a move.

Carrying heavy loads on your back is the way to go, a new study shows.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Moving is a pain—literally. Aside from the hassle of packing up your worldly belongings into 1.5-cubic-foot boxes, moving those possessions from point A to point B will inevitably lead to strained muscles and morning-after aches and pains. But ambitious do-it-yourselfers can learn a few back-saving lessons from the professionals the next time they tackle a major relocation, according to a new study presented last week at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting.

THE DETAILS: Researchers had 10 men carry heavy loads, equal to 20 percent of each individual’s body weight, while walking on a treadmill. Participants carried the loads on their backs, as professional movers do, and then again in front of them, as amateur movers usually do, and during each test, electrodes were hooked up to their arm, back, neck, shoulder, and abdominal muscles to measure muscle activity. Carrying heavy loads on the back reduced back-muscle activity by over 50 percent; activity in the shoulder and neck muscles was also reduced, although not significantly.

WHAT IT MEANS: You can save your back during your next move simply by shifting the loads behind you. “There’s no question that if you have a load and can fix it behind you over your shoulders, and not in front, it anatomically puts less strain on your back,” says Jon Schriner, DO, medical director of the Michigan Center for Athletic Medicine and a fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine.

Here are a few other ways to cut down on backaches before, during, and after your next move.

• Schedule a few extra premove workouts. It may seem impossible, timewise, to hit the gym before you move, but strengthening your core muscles is key to preventing back injuries, says Dr. Schriner. Ab exercises are a huge help, he says. “Your strongest back muscle isn’t in your back; it’s in your abdomen.” Along with crunches for your abs, try these core-strengthening moves:

Back Extensions: Lie on your stomach on your bed or a table with your waist at the edge and your upper body hanging down so you form an L shape. Have a workout partner hold your legs down; cross your hands behind your head and then slowly raise your upper body until you’re level. Then slowly lower back down into the starting position and repeat.

Pelvis lifts: Lie on your back with your feet on the floor, knees bent and arms at your sides. Press both feet into the floor and lift your pelvis up. Squeeze your buttocks together, keeping your navel drawn in and your tailbone pulled in slightly to maintain neutral alignment. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Breathe naturally as you lower your pelvis back to the floor. On the descent, let your spine slowly touch the mat one vertebra at a time until your tailbone reaches the floor, and repeat.

• Hug your boxes. If you can’t figure out a way to carry boxes on your back, know how to lift them properly. “Don’t bend over at the waist,” says Dr. Schriner. “Squat down and use your legs.” He also recommends holding packages close to your body, “like you’re hugging a pillow,” he says, not out in front of you an arm’s length away. That takes the strain off your lower back.

• Do what’s comfortable. The participants in the study who had the least strain on their back muscles were just told to hold packages behind them in a way that felt comfortable. Experiment with a few ways to hold packages, and if you feel pain, shift the load.