Principles of Human Movement

Assess the situation. What can be altered? Must allowances be made for what cannot be altered, such as the existing environment? More manual handling difficulties are resolved by thought and planning than by technique. Communicate with others involved about the result of the assessment so that everyone knows what will happen. Relax. Avoid tensing the muscles before you start the movement or it will be inefficient, tension creates unwanted pressure. If the object cannot be moved without tension, it may be too big or too heavy. Aim to control the centre of gravity. If a person is to be moved, control of the movement centres is vital to everyone. Points of contact with another person should be on their trunk whenever possible. Aim to move smoothly, peaks of effort mean peaks of pressure, which will have to be met by the spinal discs. Avoid twisting or bending sideways. Twisting combined with bending forwards creates a high degree of spinal compression. Lead with the head to initiate movement. This applies to everyone involved. Make use of friction. The more the friction, the less unwanted movement; the less the friction, the easier it is to produce movement. Do not waste effort on vertical forces if only horizontal force is required. Use the major muscle groups for effort. The minor groups of muscles further away from the trunk are not designed to bear weights.

The more these principles can be applied to any handling situation, the more efficient movement will become. All of these principles can be applied to any handling situation after assessment. Legget P (1997) Principles of Human Movement in Lloyd P. et al. Eds (1997) The guide to the handling of patients: Introducing a safer Handling Policy. Fourth edition. NBPA/RCN Teddington Middlesex