BODY
MECHANICS
CHAPTER 23
BODY MECHANICS
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As a PSW, many of your daily activities include
lifting, moving, transferring and carrying.
Your number one priority as a support worker
is personal and client safety when transferring,
moving and positioning.
Back injuries are very common among health
care workers.
Knowing the proper techniques and using your
body correctly will ensure your safety as well
as the client’s safety.
BODY MECHANICS
Body mechanics refers to the
movement of the body in an
efficient and careful way. It
involves:
• Good posture
• Good balance
• Using the strongest and largest
muscles for work. (shoulders,
upper arms, hips, thighs)
BODY MECHANICS
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Good body mechanics reduces the risk of
injury.
Body alignment (posture) is the way the
body parts are positioned in relation to one
another. Good body alignment:
• Lets the body move and function with strength and
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efficiency
Reduces strain on the muscles and joints
Prevents injury
BODY MECHANICS
Good body alignment includes: (SEE PG. 434)
 Erect and straight head and neck
 Parallel shoulders and hips
 Shoulders back
 Chest out
 Straight spine
 Abd tucked in
 Knees slightly flexed
 Arms hanging comfortably
 Feet shoulder width apart
 Toes pointed forward, one foot slightly forward
BODY MECHANICS
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The position of your feet
is very important, they
provide your base of
support.
Base of support is the
area on which an object
rests.
A wide base of support
provides stability and
balance.
BODY MECHANICS
BODY POSITIONS
 FOWLER’S POSITION – sitting position
 SEMI-FOWLER’S – semi sitting position
 SUPINE – also called dorsal recumbent, is the
back lying position
 PRONE – front lying or lying on the stomach
 LATERAL – side lying position
 SIMS – left side lying position c Rt. leg flexed
and Lt. arm along the back
 SITTING – sitting in a chair, w/c etc
BODY MECHANICS
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THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU MUST
MAKE SURE OF BEFORE YOU
TRANSFER, POSITION OR LIFT!
Brakes are on wheelchair, bed or
mechanical lifts
The bed is at a proper working height
The side rails are down, but only on the side
you are working on!
SKILLS
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Guidelines for good body mechanics pg 435
Turning the person
Applying a brief
Providing a bedpan
Logrolling the person – pg 441
Raising the person’s head and shoulders
Moving the person up in bed – pg 439
Moving the person up in bed with a lift sheet
Moving the person to the side of the bed
Helping the person sit at the side of the bed & dangle- pg 451
Transferring a person to a chair or wheelchair – pg 462