Proper Body Mechanics for Nurses. Nursing is a job that needs a lot of bending our backs, flexing our arms and legs and pushing and pulling patients. Because of this, many nurses are at risk for developing physical strain and back injuries or even fractures. One way to prevent these from happening is to practice proper body mechanics. Definition. Body mechanics is a broad term used to denote an effort coordinated by the muscles, bones and nervous system. It can either be good or bad and can be directly related to the occurrence of back pains. Rules