GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR CORRECTLY
FIGURE 20 – STEP ONE FIGURE 20A – STEP TWO
FIGURE 20B – EXITING FIGURE 20C – EXITING
Getting into and out of the car incorrectly can easily harm your back. Unfortunately, some people have jobs and lifestyles that require frequent trips into and out of their automobiles. These people are likely hurting their backs and don’t know it. The correct way to get into your car is to stand with your buttocks towards the car door. From this position, squat or use hip rotation to step backwards into the car seat (FIGURE 20). Then, swing your legs around to the front of the car (FIGURE 20A). The incorrect way to get into the car is to stand sideways next to the door, bend away from the car, and plop into the seat.
You will get out of the car the same way as you entered it, but in the opposite order that you entered it. First, swing your legs around from the front of the car to the side (FIGURE 20B). Next, scoot all the way towards the edge of the seat and get up using your legs, not your back (FIGURE 20C). This method spares your back and decreases the risk of injury.
