Could getting out of my chair be contributing to my low back pain?

Back pain and the Hip Hinge

So you’ve got back pain?  You are in great company;  roughly 80 percent of Americans are going to develop back pain at some point in life.  In most cases,  it’s not caused by a single large event, but by many things that you have done in the past that have had a cumulative effect on your spine and supporting muscles.  If you are like many people with back pain, you probably have a bad hip hinge.

The hip hinge refers to bending at the hips as opposed to the waist, in other words “hinging” at the hips.   Think about how many times you get in and out of your chair, in and out of your car and bend over during the day.  Using the hip hinge will protect your back, especially when you are in the acute condition.

Let’s take a look at how to use the hip hinge when you arise from your chair:

1. Sit on the edge of your chair
2. Lift your breastbone up towards your chin
3. Stand up keeping your chest lifted
4. Be careful not to slump foreword