BODY MECHANICS

BODY MECHANICS SKELETAL SYSTEM IN BODY MECHANICS

the efficient, coordinated, and safe use of the body Supports the soft tissues of the body[Maintains
to move objects and carry out the activities of body form and body
daily living
posture]
PURPOSE
Furnishes surfaces for the attachment of
reduced energy requirements, fatigue, risk of muscles,tendons,and
injury for both nurses and clients, especially
during lifting, transferring, and repositioning ligaments which in turn pull on the individual
bones and produce

movements.
MOBILITY
There are 206 bones in human body classified as-
the ability to move freely, easily, rhythmically, and
purposefully in the Long bones-

environment. Short bones-

Flat bones-

BODY MOVEMENT Irregular bones

Body movement requires coordinated muscle

activity and neurologic TYPES OF FREELY MOVABLE JOINTS
integration. 1.Ball and socket joint . E.g Shoulder and hip
INVOLVES FOUR BASIC ELEMENTS: joint.

body alignment (posture) 2.Condyloid joint- E.g wrist joint

joint mobility 3.Gliding joint E.g Carpal bone of wrist and tarsal
bone of feet
balance
4.Hinge joint E.g Elbow joint
coordinated movement.

MUSCULAR SYSTEM
PHYSIOLOGY OF MOVEMENTS
Bones and joints provides form to the body
PurposefulL coordinated movements of the body
requires the Muscles helps bone to produce movement

integrated functioning of the musculoskeletal and The excitability, contractility and elasticity of
nervous system muscles enable them to

perform

SKELETAL SYSTEM -Motion

The framework of bones and cartilage protects our Maintenance of posture

organs and allows

us to move through the skeletal system. NERVOUS SYSTEM

movement without a functioning nervous system

FUNCTIONS OF
 BODY MECHANICS
Nerve impulses stimulate muscles to contract line of gravity, and the base of support.

Afferent nervous system conveys information

from receptors
ALIGNMENT AND POSTURE
in periphery of body to the C.N.S
LINE OF GRAVITY -an imaginary vertical line
Verve cells called neuron conducts impulses from drawn that passes through
one part of
the body's center of gravity.
.
CENTER OF GRAVITY - the point at which all of
body to another. the body's mass is

This information is processed by C.N.S leading to centered

response
BASE OF SUPPORT -the foundation on which
> the body rests

• The efferent system conveys the response from BALANCE DEPENDS ON THE
the CNS to the INTERRELATIONSHIP OF THE COG,LOG

skeletal muscle by the way of somatic nervous BOS

system

PRINCIPLES OF BODY MECHANICS

TYPES OF JOINT MOVEMENT
1.Wider the base of support,greater the stability.

2.Lower the center of gravity greater the stability

IMPORTANCE OF BODY MECHANICS of nurse

1.Proper body alignment and posture prevents 3.The equilibrium of an object is maintained as
fatigue ang long as the line of

deformities. gravity passess through its base of support.

2.Good posture promotes the physiologic 4.Stronger the muscle group the greater the
functions of the body amount of work can

4.Reduces the expenditure of the energy be safely done.

5.Helps to maintain the balance of the body 5.Facing the direction of movements prevents
without undue strain or abnormal twisting

the body parts of the spine

6.To prevent strain and injury to the patient/nurse. PIVOTING is a technique in which the body is
turned in a way that
B.To use appropriate technique when moving the
patient avoids twisting of the spine

9. To provide safety for the patient 6.Dividing balanced activity between arms and
legs reduces the risk of

back injury.
BALANCE
7.Rolling,turning or pivoting requires less work
Balance depends on the interrelationship of the than lifting.
center of gravity, the
 BODY MECHANICS
.When friction is reduced between the object to be Keep your back straight
moved and the
Flex the knees and hip joints but keep the trunk as
surface on which it is moved,less force is required vertical as
to move.
possible. [Moving and shifting]
9.Reducing the force of work reduces the risk of
injury Avoid jerking and twisting during the lift.

10.Maintaining good body mechanics, reduces Heavy patients should be moved in bed by sliding
fatigue of the muscle rather than lifting.

group. assistance should be requested when lifting or

moving heavy
11.Alternating periods of rest and activity helps to
reduce fatigue. patients.

Stay balanced-Place the feet apart to provide a

wide base of
RULES TO BE FOLLOWED BY NURSES
support. Broader base provides a better body
WHILE CARRYING NURSING ACTIVITIES balance.

Maintain good posture [anatomical posture]. Keep work close to the body.

WATCH YOUR POSTURE =Stand straight with Slide roll push or pull an object rather than lifting
your feet flat on the floor. it in order to reduce

keep your arms at your side. Keep your abdominal the energy needed to lift the weight against the
muscles tight pull of gravity.-Lift

keep the object close to the body to prevent smoothly

unnecessary strain or
Plan and think through your move-Before you
the muscles. begin the action make

The closer the line of sure you are applying proper body mechanics

gravity is to the center of Coordinate your movements by telling patients or

other workers
the base of support, the
when you are ready to move. You may want to
greater the person's count 1,2,3
stability

the closer the line of

gravity to the edge of the

base of support, the more

unstable the balance

the line of gravity falls

If

outside the base of

support, the person falls