Physical Risk Factors of Your Job as a Caregiver
Providing care to a client is physically demanding work. Manual lifting, transfers, repositioning, and providing care means an increased risk of pain and injury to your back.
Make sure to know and follow any specific rules your employer may have regarding safely moving people. Contact your supervisor or another appropriate person where you work anytime you feel you cannot safety move a client or need more training in how to do so safely.\
Definitions
- Ambulation – Walking or moving about.
- Assistive Devices – Aids to help people continue to perform a task on their own.
- Transfer – Helping another person move into or out of a chair, bed, or wheelchair.
- Transfer belt/gait belt – A belt worn around the waist to aid in transfers and ambulation.
Risk Factors
There are certain known “risk factors” to your body because of these high physical demands. This is due to the large amount of weight involved; 30 to 50 pounds is considered a heavy load. Be aware of the following risk factors you may face in your day-to-day work.
Repetitive Motion such as repeatedly cranking manual adjustments for a bed.
Awkward postures such as reaching across a bed to lift a client.
Force such as pushing a wheelchair across an elevation change or up a ramp.
Other lifting or repositioning tasks that put your body at risk include:
- Multiple lifts.
- Lifting an uncooperative and/or confused person.
- Lifting a person that cannot support his or her own weight.
- Moving or lifting a person in and out of a chair or motor vehicle.
- Trying to stop a person from falling.
- Picking up a person from the floor or bed.
Other work-related activities that can put you at risk include:
- Bending to make a bed or feed a person.
- Collecting waste.
- Pushing heavy items or equipment.
- Removing laundry from a washing machine or dryer.
- Lifting, carrying supplies, and equipment.
The duration (how long) AND frequency (how often) of these tasks may place you at greater risk.
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
Excessive exposure to these risk factors can result in a variety of disorders. These conditions are referred to as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). While some MSDs develop gradually over time, others may result from a single event.
Early indications of MSDs can include persistent pain, restriction of joint movement and soft tissue swelling. Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) include conditions such as low back pain, rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Proper Footwear
Proper footwear provides adequate support to your feet and ankles and helps prevent sprain and strain injuries. Hazards may include standing for long periods of time, walking on uneven surfaces, or slipping and falling. Work shoes should provide adequate support and comfort.
Work shoes should:
- Be closed toed and sturdy.
- Have low and wide heels to reduce stress on the feet and the chance of ankle injury.
- Provide good traction.
Tennis shoes are a good choice of work shoes for many LTC workers.