Avoiding pain in older people
Back care when standing and sitting
You get up from bed every day. You also sit and
get up several times. Following these useful rules will help you
to protect your back when getting up from bed, sitting or getting
up from a seat, and when getting into a vehicle.
a) Getting up from Bed
To get up from bed you should not sit up directly from a supine
decubitus position ("face upward"). To get up from bed, turn
to rest on a side, support your body on your arms, and sit up sideways.
The correct way of getting up is: if you get up from your left side,
flex the left arm and place the elbow against the bed, close the
left fist and lift it high. Cross your right hand until it rests
against the left fist. While sitting up, rest your right hand on
your left fist until you have sat completely. Afterward, get up
as stated in the following point. If you get up from your right
side, you should proceed with the same postures, but inversely.
To change from a sitting to a standing position, hold up your
body with your arms. If you get up from a chair, find support on
the arm rest of the armchair. If you get up from bed or from a chair
without arms, lean on your thighs or knees and, at all times, keep
your back as straight as possible, not bent forward, while getting
up.
Sit down smoothly; do not let yourself down abruptly onto the
seat. While sitting, lean your arms on the armchair or on your lap,
keeping a straight back, and sit with your buttocks as far behind
as possible, resting the spine on the back of the chair.
To get into a car, first sit down in the car seat with your feet
outside the vehicle, and then turn and introduce one foot after
the other into the car, while supporting your weight on your hands.
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Back Pain Research Network 
Rules
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