Sitting

Healthy sitting posture is based on the neutral spine position. Positioning your hips and knees at 90 degrees can help you keep a neutral sitting posture. Remember this position is balanced between the extremes of lumbar movement. Remember to choose a properly designed chair to help support your lumbar spine.

Walking

Proper body mechanics are also important while walking. Try to maintain the neutral spine position while walking. In the neutral position, your legs and arms swing naturally during forward motion. Conditions that alter the normal way of walking, and cause a limp, can severely stress your spine. While walking, always try to maintain your spine in the neutral position.

Lifting

Lifting is one of the most dangerous activities for your spine. The neutral spine position MUST be used to reduce your risk of injury. With your spine held in the neutral position, movement occurs as the pelvic wheel turns. Your hip is the axis of pelvic rotation, not your back! Notice how your back loses the neutral position when your pelvis does not rotate forward. This posture focuses the force on your back muscles during a lift. Lifting in a neutral position allows your larger and more powerful leg muscles to do the lifting.

When lifting, first find the neutral position. Bend at your hips by rotating the pelvic wheel at the hip joint axis. Keep the safe posture, hold the object you are lifting securely, and use your large leg muscles to generate power. Tighten your abdominal muscles during the lift to create a stabilizing corset around your trunk.

Safe body movement is especially important during lifting. To avoid extra spine strain when lifting, use these safety tips.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics looks at the way people do work. It's possible that even minor changes in the way you do your work or hobby activities could keep your pain and symptoms in check while protecting your spine from further injury.