Thanks Charmion. I knew it was a big-name sci-fi author.

In workplace health and safety information sessions we were always told to bend our knees and not bend from the waist otherwise it would put strain on the back. There are some garden kneeler aids around but that may not be useful for you.

Hubby & I avoid kneeling because it is so darn difficult to get up again these days. Dropping something and seeing it slide under a cabinet is an elderly person's nightmare IMO because of the ungainly manoeuvres involved in getting back up off the floor after retrieving the item,