Mother hurt her back helping Dad lift a table that was too heavy for the both of them. Her physical therapist tells her she has to keep moving. But she can hardly get up out of a chair because of the pain. What can we do to help her with this?

First, talk with your mother’s therapist. Let her know the situation at home. There may be several ways to approach the problem. Identifying the true cause for her difficulty is important. Is it primarily the problem of pain? Or is there muscle weakness preventing the movement? Even weakness in the legs can have a profound effect on seemingly simple tasks such as the sit-to-stand motion.

There’s no doubt that low back pain limits lumbar spine motion, hip motion, and the coordination between the two. This has been proven and confirmed in several research studies. It may be a protective response to avoid loading spinal structures. But it definitely causes a change in how energy is transferred between bones and soft tissues in the spine, pelvis, and leg.

And that inefficient energy flow or transfer then places even more demand on the spine. A vicious cycle gets started of back pain-altered biomechanics-soft tissue injury-and more back pain. Without enough transfer of energy and muscle power, everyday activities such as standing up from a sitting position become difficult, if not impossible due to pain.

Until the underlying problem is analyzed and solved, there are some practical steps that can be taken. One is to consider raising the surface of the toilet and chair where your mother tends to sit most often. A special raised toilet seat can be purchased from a health supply store. These are often used after a total hip replacement when patients can’t bend the hip too much. But they also work well for folks with back pain that limits their ability to get up and down.

If your resources aren’t limited, there are motorized chairs that lift the seat up and help the individual stand. These should not replace a rehab program designed to restore normal strength and movement, but they can be very helpful during the interim. The physical therapist may have other ideas as well. Each patient is unique with individual differences that must be taken into consideration.