Avoiding pain in children and teenagers

Rules General population Older people Children and teenagers Back care while lying down Back care while sitting. Back care while lifting weight. Back care while standing up. Back care while getting up and sitting. Back care while bending. Carrying books to school. Housework Workers Sports

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 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.

b) Getting up from a Seat:

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.

c) Sitting on a Chair:

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.

d) How to Get into the Car:

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.