Body Mechanics

Work related Muscoloskeletal Disorder (WRMSDs)

  • Results in restricted or lost work time

  • $20 billion yearly-direct costs

    • wokresr compensation

    • medical expenses

Injuries to physical therapists

  • manual therapy

  • transfer/lift

  • enviornment/equipment

Most common injury is hand followed by the back

Body mechanics

  • whenever you carry something/someone, you have to make sure you have right posture/balance, if you steer in alignment you should be good, spine must be in normal alignment

  • helps with efficiency

  • prevent injuries

  • improves cardiac and respiratory function

  • encourages proper body control and balance

  • promotes safe movements

  • keeps patient and you safe, perform better movements and control for patient, transfer will be same but must modify

Know princinples of body mechanics and every single step on there

  • moving, lifting, pushing, puling, carrying

  • can I perorm whatever activity I need to perform, moving lifitng, pushing, pulling etc

  1. Acess the load

  2. think ahead, plan, and communicate hte movement, tactful on how much they weight. Especially if you have second person assessing you, youre leader and instruct patient on what to do

  3. Then you move, check base of support; have firm footing

  4. Face what you are lifting

  5. keep back straight

  6. tighten stomach muscles when beginning

  7. keep object close to your body, move with it, not twisting going on

  8. do not twist

  9. bend your knees and squat to lift/low center of gravity

  10. know your limits and seek assitance when needed, no need to put yourself or patient in danger

  11. LEGS NOT BACK!!!! NO TWISTING!!!!

  12. uses smooth, rythmic movements at normal speed, if you cant you gotta go over it again

  13. push all the time or pull rather than lift

  14. push before pulling

Practice scooting, teach how to scoot if back is to bent, hip walk to walk it out, find ways that work for you. Get patient whree you need them to be, closer to you than further away, super important, lock place theyre going to move from.

Additional Principles of Body Mechanics for Lifitng and Moving Patients

  • Asses the task and seek help if needed

  • resposition the patient to allow for proper body mechanics

  • lock bed wheels and wheelchair wheels before moving

  • make sure the patient has non-skid footwear

  • communicate!!!

Dont lift dont twist, move your feet

  1. asses load

  2. straddle weight

  3. brace core (dont hold breath)

  4. bend knees

  5. Squat down to center of weight

  6. Pick up object and move

Work on legs, glutes core