Good posture during daily activities

High Surface Activities

• Use a stool or a ladder for ease of reach to avoid straining the neck and toes/feet.
• Avoid placing heavy or bulky objects overhead.

Low Surface Activities

• Bend at your hips and knees as much as possible to prevent your back from slouching excessively.
• If you have to work with objects at a low level, sit on a stool to avoid straining your back and legs.

Activities in Standing

• Adjust the height of surface to place the object you need to work on to avoid bending and straining your back and neck.

Lifting

• Bring yourself nearer to the object/child.
• Place one foot in front of the other.
• Bend at your hips and knees. Use the strength of your arms to lift the object/child close to your body before standing.
• Avoid arching backwards in standing when carrying a load as this may strain your back

Retrieving laundry / objects from waist level

• Stand close to the washer / object.
• Lift one leg to keep the back in a straight line when retrieving the laundry/objects.
• Retrieve a few pieces at a time as lifting heavy loads repetitively may increase risk of straining your back.

Sweeping floor

• Use a longer broomstick to prevent yourself from bending forward excessively.
• Keep your back straight when sweeping to avoid bending and straining your back. Step back and forth, or to the side to move the broomstick.

Brushing / cleaning over the sink

• Put one leg on the ledge or a stool to avoid bending and straining your back.
• Use a cup to bring the tap water to you instead of bending over to reach the tap.

Ask for Help

• Do not overestimate your ability to lift.
• Ask for help or delegate the task to others.
• When lifting together, coordinate the lift: "1-2-3-Lift" or "1-2-3-Down"