CIEMT Medical and Physiology Practice Exam

Mechanical restriction of movement is described by physical restraint. This term refers to devices or supports—such as straps, belts, mitts, or bed rails—that physically limit a person’s movement to prevent harm. It’s the specific category that denotes a mechanical means of restraint, as opposed to chemical restraint, which uses medications, or to the general term restraint, which can refer to any limiting measure. The idea of using the least restrictive method guides care to first try nonintrusive approaches and only escalate to restrictions when absolutely necessary, but the mechanical means of restriction itself is captured by physical restraint.