The manner in which one gets in and out of bed is vital, when thinking of protecting ones back. Unnecessary injury can easily be avoided by following these simple steps:
When retiring at night, firstly sit on the side of the bed, keeping the back straight. Next, lower your upper body down to the side whilst simultaneously bringing your legs up to the bed, with them flexed 90 degrees at the hips and knees. Ensuring that the back remains straight helps to protect the lower back and prevent a twisting action in the spine which may cause trouble if the lumbar spine is at all irritable.
After a long night’s sleep, have a good stretch before making your way out of bed. This will help to wake up your muscles. If you are prone to lower back pain, give your knees a hug towards the opposite shoulder, one at a time, in order to gently stretch the lumbar spine and back of the hips. It's well worth priming ones wellness at the start of the day.
Instead of then springing straight out of bed, the above procedure should now be reversed: While lying with the hips and knees bent as before, use the top arm to push your upper body up, whilst swinging your legs over the side of the bed and lowering them down towards the floor. This will again ensure that the back remains properly in osteopathic alignment.
Following these simple guidelines will ensure that you never need to risk getting up on the "wrong side of bed” again.