BackSmart - Stryker

Medical
BackSmart
®
Basics
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Keeping your back and other muscles safe may
lead to:
• Less fatigure
• More enjoyable leisure time
• Happier & healthier career
Making the job easier can make the job safer.
These few phrases can help you remember
easier and safer ways to care for patients:
• Comfort Zone
• Power Zone
• Brace Yourself
• Gravity Works
• It Takes Two
• Let it Work for You

Comfort Zone:
Elbow to Shoulder
Power Zone:
Mid-Thigh to Elbow

Comfort Zone
The Comfort Zone is the working area where you have the best combination of hand dexterity,
arm strength and visual acuity. Most patient care tasks should take place within the
Comfort Zone. Your hands should be working between your shoulder and elbow heights to
stay within the Comfort Zone.
• Patient Care Tasks

Power Zone
When applying force, whether lifting, pushing, pulling or positioning; work within your Power
Zone in order to use the larger muscles of your back and legs to perform the task.
• Pushing a Stretcher
• Lateral Transfers
• Repositioning a Patient
• Operating a Manual Knee Gatch

Brace Yourself
Bracing yourself provides improved balance and supplies you with a biomechanical advantage.
When applying force with one hand, such as lifting the backrest of a stretcher, brace
the other hand to stabilize the upper body.
• Raising the Head of a Stretcher
• Operating a Manual Knee Gatch

Gravity Works
Use gravity to your advantage whenever possible. For instance, reposition a patient who
has drifted, by putting the stretcher into slight reverse Trendelenburg. When lowering the
head section of an empty stretcher, lean into the movement using your body weight and
gravity to assist. The Lift Assist
backrest uses the patient’s own
weights as a counterbalance for an
easy lift.
• Adjusting Head Section
• Repositioning a Patient

Let It Work For You
Many optional stretcher features can reduce the need for a second
person to provide assistance. When you let the stretcher do the work for
you, it is easier and safer.
When pushing a stretcher, choose the right mode for the task:
• Before pushing long distances, activate the steer pedal to engage the mobility feature on
the stretcher. The 5th Wheel can aid in steering during transports, or the Big Wheel
®
will
make it even easier to push and steer. For stretchers with Zoom
®
, engage the Motorized
Drive System to make it virtually effortless to push. Click the buttons on the handles and
wait for Zoom to start moving the stretcher; you do not need to push hard.
• When moving in tight spaces, place the stretcher in Neutral by positioning the
Brake/Steer pedal horizontally. This will free the stretcher to move in any direction. If you
need to move the stretcher sideways (for instance to park it against the wall) use the
siderail as a grip location for improved leverage.

You can sit a patient upright for recovery without lifting the patient out of the stretcher.
Instead of moving a largely immobile patient from the stretcher into a chair, adjust the
stretcher into a chair position. Raise the head of the stretcher, raise the stretcher to the
highest height, use the maximum amount of knee gatch and place the stretcher in reverse
Trendelenberg. This will position the patient in a comfortably reclined, sitting posture.
To reposition or laterally transfer a patient, use the Glide Lateral Transfer System to reduce
the friction between the patient and the mattress. The reduction in friction may benefi t
the patient’s skin and protect you from injury.
It Takes Two
Many patient handling tasks are safer to perform with assistance, particularly with heavy
patients. This additional assistance can take the form of a second person or the use of
equipment. Some tasks that may require assistance include:
• Transporting a Patient
• Raising the Head of the Stretcher
• Sitting a Patient Upright • Repositioning a Patient

3800 E. Centre Ave.
Portage, MI 49002 U.S.A.
t: 269 329 2100 f: 269 329 2311
toll free: 800 787 9537
www.stryker.com/medical
The information presented in this brochure is intended to
demonstrate a Stryker service. Always refer to the package insert,
product label and/or user instructions before using any Stryker
product. Services may not be available in all markets. Please
contact your Stryker Account Manager if you have questions
about the availability of Stryker products and services in your
area.
Products referenced with
designation are trademarks of Stryker.
Products referenced with
®
designation are registered trademarks
of Stryker.
Mkt Lit-384 01 FEB 2010
Copyright © 2010 Stryker
Printed in U.S.A.