Topic Overview

When you have low back pain, try these steps to help you move from sitting to standing:

• If you are in a chair with arms, scoot forward until you are on the edge of the seat. Bring your feet in toward the chair. Then stand up. Use the arms of the chair to push yourself up while keeping your back straight.
• If your seat does not have arms, position yourself as above. Place your hands on the seat next to your thighs and push up. Keep your back as straight as you can.

When you are standing, keep your feet flat on the floor or ground about 12 inches apart. Keep your back straight, with your shoulders back and stomach pulled in. Your ears and shoulders should line up over your hips.

Bad posture, especially when you are walking, puts extra stress on your back and causes discomfort and damage. The key to good back posture is to keep the right amount of curve in your lower back.

A healthy back has three natural front-to-back curves that give the spine an "S" shape. Although the curves vary a lot from person to person, too much curve ("swayback") or too little curve ("flat back") can result in problems. The right amount of curve is called your neutral position. See a picture of the spine that shows the natural curves.