::. Patient Care Ergonomics

Assisting another individual in a change of position requires proper body mechanics on your part. Proper body mechanics (positioning) will make your job easier to perform and reduce the risk of injury. Proper body mechanics requires that the natural curves of the spine are maintained in proper alignment. So, lets look at the natural curves of the back and how to successfully maintain these curves:

MAINTAIN YOUR CURVES

To do this successfully........

1. Bend your knees to get up and down.
2. Keep the object close to the body in order to minimize forces on your body.
3. Pivot don't twist.
4. Don't try to do more than you can handle. Respect your limits.