How do you bend over and why?

[Boho]

I've noticed a lot of people bending over with their legs fairly straight compared to how I bend over. I bend my knees more. I was wondering if they find it harder to do a squat than me or if I choose a squat because I have less flexibility than most people (I can't touch my toes with my legs straight). Would you bend like these women or would you bend your knees more:

 

[retire48in2018]

It is not considered safe to lift with your back as is depicted in these pictures.

You need to lift with your legs, with your back straight is best.

-lots of injuries occur in workplace when people are lifting (like pictures) which is considered improper.

 

[Dtail]

Mostly bend down using my knees. On a good day can touch the floor barely while keeping my legs straight.

 

[GrayHare]

Bending at the waist can irritate lower back muscles.

 

[braumeister]

Training for rock-paper-scissors?

 

[corn18]

Mostly legs. (465 lbs)

[youtube]https://youtu.be/1jBM7UG7dWA[/youtube]

 

[Animorph]

I thought for "back work" like leaning over to pick things up it was supposed to be better to keep your back straight and bend only at the waist. Roughly like the OP picture. The typical (American) bent back posture is harder on the back. Although I usually forget to do it the right way, it does feel good to at least change to a straight back when I remember to.

Certainly for heavy lifting I try to keep my back as straight and vertical as possible.

 

[Boho]

Actually, once you're flexible enough, 10 toe touches is probably easier than 10 squats.

 

[Rianne]

Adjust back like you're going to sit on toilet. And bend. Yes, kind like a squat. I have no back issues, I clean up after dog several times a day, laundry, oven, pick up stuff all the time off the floor.

 

[Gumby]

I bend over just like the people in the picture. I can still put my hands flat on the ground with straight legs.

 

[Rianne]

I bend over just like the people in the picture. I can still put my hands flat on the ground with straight legs.

And your name fits you perfectly!

 

[W2R]

I bend over just like the people in the picture. I can still put my hands flat on the ground with straight legs.

Me, too!

This really helped me right after my total knee replacement surgery. Sitting up in my hospital bed, with my legs stretched out in front of me on the bed, I was able to easily put on my socks and shoes, and tie my shoes, without bending my new knee. Later, at home, I could trim my toenails the same way. Apparently most knee replacement patients have trouble doing these things. I had not realized that this was an unusual ability until then.

 

[ls99]

Depends.
Picking up light items, straight knees, heavy objects, bend knees.

Figure sakting pose skating on one leg, balancing on one square millimeter of steel, straight knee, while body and other leg at right angles to skating leg, one arm extended forward.

 

[rodi]

Bending over to pick up something light - bend at the waist like the picture. And like Gumby I can put my hands flat on the floor with locked knees.

If I'm *lifting* something heavier - I squat. This is to avoid back injury. I had a tweaked lower back a few months ago and found myself doing squats to load/unload the bottom tray of the dishwasher... just to avoid the pain.

 

[travelover]

Why?

Why is to pick up pennies that others mischievously leave on the ground.

 

[Walt34]

Most of the time I'd squat, bending my knees. Lately though with increasing knee pain I'm more likely to bend at the lower back, which in turn aggravates the existing lower back pain.

I used to pick up pennies. Now I don't bend over for anything less than a dollar.

 

[Aerides]

If I'm up and down or picking something up that's heavy, sure the squat is the way to go. But if my head needs to be near the ground then I'll hang like the picture. Like now I'm doing some repainting - doing a lot of cutting in around baseboards.

And yes I can place my hands flat on the floor with my legs straight, and just bend at the waist. I'd rather bend repeatedly that sit like a catcher for minutes at a time.

 

[cbo111]

Bending at the waist can irritate lower back muscles.

Thats funny. I bend from the waist to help stretch out my lower back, particularly before beginning athletic endeavors.

 

[brewer12345]

Usually when I bend over I am assisted by the gubmint, an employer, etc.

 

[Red Badger]

I mostly bend at the knees. But I prefer it when the fairer sex bends at the waist.

 

[Amethyst]

To paint baseboards, I lie on the floor (on the dropcloth of course!)

As a student, I always used to spread my books and papers on the floor and lie down in the middle of them. Part of it was nearsightedness...I liked being close as possible to what I was reading and writing. Using a computer changed that, and I'm not sure for the better.

If I'm up and down or picking something up that's heavy, sure the squat is the way to go. But if my head needs to be near the ground then I'll hang like the picture. Like now I'm doing some repainting - doing a lot of cutting in around baseboards.

 

[RunningBum]

Usually when I bend over I am assisted by the gubmint, an employer, etc.

I thought this might be a BOHICA question!

I had to try it to see what I actually do. I spread my feet further apart and bend some at the knees, some at the waist. If picking up something heavy, it would be more at the knees, less at the waist.

After a long race, I can barely bend over. If I drop something, I first look around to see if anyone is around to pick it up for me. If I have someone crewing/helping me in the race, I assure them that we'll never bump heads because I'm not even going to try.

 

[street]

To pick something up light I'm lie the picture. If something heavy I lift with my knees and bend at knees.

 

[SunBlueSky]

To pick something up light I'm like the picture. If something heavy I lift with my knees and bend at knees.

Same here.

 

[Mmm Rrr]

I agree with many who have posted that if I need to pick something significant up, I bend my knees.

For many tasks (like removing an individual, easy-to-pull weed or picking up something light) I bend from the waist, keeping my legs straight and enjoy the resulting stretch.