The log roll turns a person in bed as one straight unit — shoulders, hips, and legs together — so the spine stays aligned throughout the movement. It is the standard way to turn someone for hygiene, linen changes, and pressure-relief repositioning, and it matters most for people with back pain, recent surgery, or fragile bones. The caregiver crosses the person's far arm over the chest, bends the far knee, and rolls them toward themselves using shoulder and hip — never pulling on an arm or leg. Done correctly, the log roll is one of the lowest-strain moves in caregiving for both people involved.
The log roll turns a person in bed as a single aligned unit so the spine does not twist during the movement. The person crosses the far arm over their chest, and the caregiver helps the shoulders, hi…