• Health care providers must know how to properly apply the
principles of body mechanics to minimize personal and client
injury
• The number of injuries in health care facilities related to
improper use of body mechanics has risen over the years
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
 First Class Lever
 Head being tipped backward on the atlas
 The facial portion of the skull is the load, the joint between the skull and the
atlas is the fulcrum, and muscles of the back produce the pull
TYPES OF LEVERS IN THE BODY
 Second Class Lever
 Raising the body on the toes
 The point of contact between the toes and the ground is the
fulcrum, the load is located at the ankle, and the pull is exerted at
the gastrocnemius (the muscle in the calf)
TYPES OF LEVERS IN THE BODY
 Third Class Lever
 Flexing of the forearm at the elbow joint as in lifting a hand
weight
 The load is the weight in the hand, the pull is the biceps brachii
muscle, and the fulcrum is the elbow.
 This is the most common lever in the body
TYPES OF LEVERS IN THE BODY
 Use the larger and stronger muscles to perform work
 When moving heavy objects, push or pull instead of lifting
 Get help!
 Maintain good posture
• Back straight
• Knees bent
• Weight evenly distributed on both feet
• Feet shoulder width apart (about 12 inches)
 Avoid twisting your whole body
 Keep objects close to your body when listing or carrying
 Avoid unnecessary bending
PRINCIPLES OF BODY MECHANICS
 You should use proper body mechanics at all times!
In everyday activity such as carrying your schools books, getting
in or out of your car, moving a chair
In health care setting such as when moving a patient to or from
a chair, picking up supplies, or positioning a patient in bed
WHEN SHOULD YOU USE BODY MECHANICS?
 Ergonomics: the science of work
Fit the work to the user instead of forcing the user to the work
OSHA has developed a policy of “no lifting” in Long Term Care
Facilities and other high risk areas
 http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/nursinghome/index.html
ERGONOMICS
 Find a partner
 Number 1-5 on a piece of notebook paper
 Go through the five activities on the Body Mechanics
Activity worksheet one partner at a time and check off on
your notebook paper once your partner does each activity
correctly
LET’S TRY IT OUT!
Range of Motion: the complete extent of movement
of which a joint is capable
RANGE OF MOTION
 Active Range of Motion
Movements performed by the patient without help
RANGE OF MOTION
 Passive Range of Motion
 Movement cannot be performed by the patient and
the health care worker moves each join through its
range of motion
RANGE OF MOTION
 Active Assistive Range of Motion
 The patient does the exercises with some assistance
from another person
RANGE OF MOTION