Pain Symptom
Pain with Sit to Stand
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Sitting is fine, but standing up hurts. You brace, push off the armrests, and take a few stiff steps before your body loosens. The first moments of standing ask a lot of the hips, back, pelvis and knees at once, and pain at that moment points to specific muscles and joints Dr. Gordon can assess.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Pain Going from Sitting to Standing
Going from sitting to standing requires the hips to extend, the back to straighten, the pelvic floor and core to stabilize, and the knees to push. Pain during this transition is common and has several sources.
Low back pain on standing often comes from disc sensitivity or tight hip flexors that pull on the spine after being shortened. Pain at the back of the pelvis suggests the sacroiliac joint or cluneal nerves. Tailbone pain when rising is typical of coccydynia, as the pelvic floor contracts and pulls on the coccyx. Front of hip pain suggests hip flexor or joint involvement, and knee pain suggests the kneecap joint.
Dr. Gordon identifies which area is protesting during the transition and treats the muscles, joints and nerves involved.
Pain Going from Sitting to Standing at a Glance
Also called
Start-up pain, pain getting up from a chair
Low back pain on standing
Often discs or tight hip flexors
Back of pelvis pain
Often SI joint or cluneal nerves
Tailbone pain on rising
Often coccydynia and pelvic floor tension
Knee pain on rising
Often the kneecap joint
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Sit-to-stand pain is often lumped into general back or hip pain. The specific moment of pain gives valuable clues.
What routine testing is looking for
- Hip or knee arthritis
- Disc problems
- Spinal stenosis
- Fractures
What often keeps symptoms going
- Tight hip flexors that pull on the spine
- SI joint and cluneal nerve irritation
- Pelvic floor pulling on the tailbone
- Weak gluteals
- Kneecap tracking
These are assessed by watching you move from sitting to standing and testing each area.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Low back pain when rising
Sharp or stiff back pain as you stand.
Tailbone pain
Pain at the tailbone as you get up.
Back of pelvis pain
Pain at the SI joint or top of the pelvis.
Front of hip pain
A pinch or pull in the hip crease.
Knee pain
Pain at the front of the knee.
Stiff first steps
Needing a few steps to loosen up.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Hip flexor tension
Hip flexors shortened by sitting pull on the spine when you stand.
Pelvic floor and tailbone
The pelvic floor contracts on rising and pulls on a sore tailbone.
SI joint and cluneal nerves
Load shifts through the back of the pelvis.
Gluteal weakness
Weak gluteals make the back and knees work harder.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Pain Going from Sitting to Standing
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your imaging, physician or physical therapy notes, medications and past treatments so he knows what has been ruled out and what has already been tried.
Movement analysis
Dr. Gordon watches your sit-to-stand to see where pain starts.
Muscle mapping
Assessment of the hip flexors, gluteals, back and pelvic floor attachments.
Joint screen
Tests for the spine, SI joint, hip and knee.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician, orthopedist or physical therapist when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- New weakness, numbness or tingling that is spreading or getting worse
- Numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control
- Back pain with fever, chills or unexplained weight loss
- Pain after a significant fall or accident
- Back pain with a history of cancer
- Severe pain at night that does not change with position
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for pain going from sitting to standing, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Orthopedic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon has used dry needling for more than 18 years. Treatment releases the hip flexor, gluteal, back and pelvic muscles that protest when you rise.
See all servicesNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture to calm nerve sensitivity in the affected area.
See all servicesBetween visits
Movement Plan & Team Coordination
Strategies for rising, sitting breaks and strengthening, coordinated with your physical therapist.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"I have seen Dr. Gordon for back pain, knee issue and most recently foot pain and I have to say every single time I visit the very next day I'm back to resuming my very active lifestyle."
Judy Castellanos, Google Review
Pain Going from Sitting to Standing Questions
Answers About Pain Going from Sitting to Standing
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
The transition asks several areas to work at once. Pain at that moment points to the tissue under the most strain.
It can be, but muscle tension and joint loading are common causes even with arthritis.
The pelvic floor contracts as you rise and pulls on the tailbone.
Regular breaks help. Dr. Gordon also treats the cause.
Many people improve within four to eight sessions.
Yes, after tension is reduced, strengthening makes the transition easier.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For pain going from sitting to standing, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioBook an Evaluation for Pain with Sit to Stand
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and find out what hurts when you rise.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
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