Knowledge and Practice of Body Mechanics Techniques among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: The combined use of body parts to produce movement and maintain balance is called body mechanics. Body mechanics misuse increases the risk of musculoskeletal injury and back pain. Every procedure requires nurses to use body mechanic techniques. They can use body mechanics more effectively if they understand it well. Nurses worldwide suffer from back pain, primarily caused by manual lifting and handling heavy objects and patients. Back pain may cause significant disruptions in physical, social, and mental well-being, potentially affecting their occupations. This study aims to determine the knowledge and practice of body mechanics techniques among undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire to assess nursing students' knowledge and practice of body mechanics techniques. A total of 70 undergraduate nursing students participated in the study. Results: All 70 undergraduate nursing students (100%) understand body mechanic techniques well. Most undergraduate nursing students, 68 (97.1%), had good practice with body mechanic techniques, while 2 (2.9%) had moderate practice. There is no significant linear relationship between the level of knowledge of body mechanic techniques and the level of practice of body mechanic techniques among nursing students, with a p-value =0.587. Conclusion: This highlights the importance of comprehensive formal education, structured body mechanic technique programmes, and proficient practice of these techniques among students to reduce the prevalence of low back pain among nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]