Body Mechanics Basics
This body part should stay straight when lifting.
What is back?
Caregivers should bend these instead of the back.
What is knees?
Before transferring, these should be locked on wheelchairs or beds.
What is wheel locks?
This belt is placed around a patient’s waist to help with transfers.
What is a gait belt?
This muscle group should do most of the lifting work.
What are leg muscles?
Keeping feet shoulder-width apart provides this.
What is a wide base of support?
Keep client close to you ___ when lifting?
What is your body?
This transfer is moving a patient from bed to wheelchair.
What is a bed-to-wheelchair transfer?
This machine is used when a patient cannot bear weight.
What is a mechanical lift?
Twisting while lifting can cause this common caregiver injury.
back injury / muscle strain?
Instead of twisting your body, you should do this with your feet.
What is turning with your feet/ pivoting?
Caregivers should test the patient’s ability to do this before standing.
What is bearing weight?
This board helps slide patients from one surface to another.
What is a transfer board (slide board )
This device helps support a patient while walking.
What is a walker or gait belt?
This body area is most commonly injured during improper lifting.
What is the lower back?
This action helps keep balance while lifting.
What is bending the knees?
When lifting something heavy, caregivers should ask for this.
What is help / assistance?
A transfer that requires two caregivers is called this type of assist.
What is a two-person assist?
This piece of equipment helps lift patients safely from bed to chair.
What is a patient lift (Hoyer lift)
Stretching and using correct body mechanics can help prevent this.
What is injury?
This principal means keeping the center of gravity.
What is clients center of gravity close to your body?
Caregivers should never do this movement while lifting a patient.
What is twisting?
When a patient helps with the transfer, it is called this level of assist.
What is a one-person assist?
This safety item may be placed under a patient to help reposition them in bed.
What is a draw sheet?
Following proper body mechanics helps protect this important part of the body.
What is the spine or back?