For a patient with less than 3/5 BLE and at least 3/5 UE, which transfer is used?

• A. Start with sliding board transfer then progress to lateral swing transfer
• B. Standing Transfer
• C. Standby pivot
• D. Sitting Transfer

Answer: (D)

When a patient has less than 3/5 strength in both lower extremities, transfers that require standing or weight bearing through the legs are not safe. With at least 3/5 strength in the upper extremities, the patient can safely move between surfaces while seated by using the arms to shift and reposition.

Therefore, moving from one surface to another without standing fits best: a seated transfer. This keeps the patient in a supported, seated position and relies on the arms to bridge the motion. A sliding board is a specific seated-transfer technique you might use if there’s a gap between surfaces, but the overall approach here is seated transfer, which avoids standing altogether. Standing transfers or standby pivots would demand more leg strength than is available, making them less appropriate in this scenario.