Spine Protection: Sit to Stand

Put your core muscles to work with even the most simple and routine activities. Using your core muscles to protect your back and to guide the spinal joints during exercise and movement is called dynamic stabilization. Feel your muscles as they work to grip and hold your spine while performing the spine protection exercises.

How can I benefit by learning this exercise?

Standing up from a sitting position is a familiar activity. But have you ever stopped to think about the position of your spine as you stand up? What are your core muscles doing? Are they switched on as you move? The benefit of practicing the motion of standing from a sitting position is that you can begin to coordinate movement so that it comes from your hips, buttock, and thighs—not your low back. It also gives you a chance to work your core muscle during a dynamic activity.

How do I perform this exercise?

Sit with your low back in the neutral position and your feet square on the ground, shoulder width apart. Place one arm behind your back with the back surface of your hand resting on your low back. Put your other hand lightly on your abdomen. Begin to lean forward while keeping your back in the neutral position. As you lean forward and back, you're movement should be coming from the hips and not your low back. If you feel your back rounding as you lean forward, your motion is coming from your low back, which means you're not staying in the neutral position as you move. When you've leaned forward and are in the neutral position, engage your core muscles. Now stand up. Reverse these steps when returning to a sitting position.

How many and how often should I do this exercise?

• Sets: 1 - 2
• Repetitions: 10
• Hold: 0 seconds
• Perform: 1 - 3 times per day

Are there other recommendations I need to be aware of?

Practice this movement several times during the day and whenever you get in and out of a sitting position. Keep your back in neutral. At first, you may need to watch in a side-view mirror. You'll quickly be able to see if your back stays positioned in neutral as you stand up and sit down.

What should I watch out for while doing this exercise?

The tendency when standing up is to throw your weight forward, causing your back to round. You also need to remember to "set" your core muscles to grip and hold your spine steady and protected as you perform this familiar activity.