Physical Therapy Evaluation Tool (PEAT) 2 Practice Exam

When a patient cannot bear weight through either leg, transfers must avoid standing and lifting the patient entirely by the legs. The safest and most practical option is a sliding-board transfer. This technique lets the patient stay seated and use their upper body to move from bed to wheelchair, with a board bridging the surfaces to reduce friction and support a smooth, controlled lateral transfer. It aligns with the patient’s ability to participate with the arms while not requiring standing or weight-bearing through the legs.

A standing-pivot transfer would require the patient to stand and bear weight, which isn’t allowed here. A one-person lift isn’t appropriate when there’s no weight bearing and the patient cannot fully assist safely, and a two-person lift is typically reserved for completely dependent transfers but is less efficient and not ideal for a patient headed home soon, where independence with a simple, doable transfer is preferred.