What movements occur at the knee, hip, and spine when moving from a seated to standing position?

When moving from a seated to a standing position, the primary movements that occur at each involved joint—knee, hip, and spine—can be analyzed in terms of extension and flexion.

At the knee joint, as one stands up, the primary movement is extension. The muscles at the front of the thigh (quadriceps) engage to straighten the knee, lifting the body from a seated position.

At the hip joint, a similar movement occurs. The hips extend as the body rises. The gluteal muscles and hamstrings play a significant role in extending the hip to help elevate the torso and legs to an upright position.

Finally, regarding the spine, while the movement from seated to standing does involve some flexion of the spine during the initial phase as the torso leans forward, the predominant action during the standing phase is extension. The spinal erectors contract to bring the torso back to an upright position.

Therefore, the correct answer reflects that at the knee, there is an extension; at the hip, there is also an extension; and at the spine, although some flexion occurs initially, the primary movement during the transition to standing is effectively extension as the torso stabilizes. This highlights the dominant actions associated with the transition from a