Which term describes the friction that occurs when the skin slides over underlying tissues during movement?

• A. Logrolling
• B. Shearing
• C. Mechanical Lift
• D. Lateral

Answer: (B)

The term describes the friction when skin slides over underlying tissues during movement is shear. This happens when the surface layers of skin and tissue move in one direction while the deeper structures remain relatively fixed, causing the tissues to stretch and distort and the blood vessels to be pressed or stretched. Shear is a common issue during transfers or repositioning, such as sliding a patient up in bed or down in a chair, and it increases the risk of skin breakdown, especially over bony areas like the sacrum or heels.

Logrolling is a technique used to minimize movement of the body as a unit during turning, which helps reduce shear. A mechanical lift is a device that can decrease both friction and shear during transfers. Lateral simply describes a direction and is not the friction type involved.