| Activity |
Best practices |
| Standing |
Avoid locking your knees. Use a diagonal foot position, with one foot slightly forward. Try to place the forward foot on a ledge if available. |
| Sitting |
Keep your knees even or slightly higher than your hips, and ensure that your lower back is supported. Back support pillows are widely available. Avoid slumping, which places unnecessary stress on your back.
Quick fix: Position a small box in front of your chair to rest your feet on. |
| Reaching |
To avoid undue back and neck stress, use a stepping stool whenever possible to reach items overhead. Otherwise, place one foot forward in a diagonal position and avoid locking your knees. |
| Bending |
Even bending to pick up light items can cause back stress and pain. Be sure to keep one leg elevated while bending at the hips. For especially low lying items, bend down on one knee. |
| Pushing/Pulling |
Always opt for pushing over pulling whenever you can. Make sure to utilize both your arms and legs to further disperse stress. When pulling an item, keep your lower back straight and avoid twisting. Pull objects at your side. |
| Carrying |
When carrying a heavy object, keep the item close to your body. Always consider alternatives to carrying a large weight, such as redistributing the weight between two items |
| Lifting |
Take special care of your back when lifting. Always use a diagonal foot position and remember to let your legs – not your back -- do the majority of the work.
IMPORTANT: Do not raise your heels off the floor when lifting. This could a loss of balance. |
| Sleeping |
Back pain is sometime the result of sleeping on your back, which places increased pressure on your discs. To decrease pressure when sleeping, try lying on your side with a pillow placed between your legs. To relieve pressure while sleeping on your back, position 2-3 pillows under your knees. |
