The Hip Hinge:
Everyone has heard that if you have a bad back you should lift with your legs NOT your back. But, what does this really mean? It means that you should bend or ‘hinge’ your hips and knees instead of your waist or spine when you lift. This same advice can
be extended to activities such as rising from a chair, getting in or out of your car, up and down from bed,washing your face, etc. The best way to protect your back is to hinge with your hips instead of your back, especially early in the morning or when performing an arduous task such as lifting an object.
Hip hinging protects the back, and is especially important if the person has acute low back pain or sciatica. At our clinic, we spend a lot of time teaching our patients with herniated disc injury to correct their lifestyle and ergonomics to help them get better and prevent future injury. Watch the video to better understand this technique.
