How to Use a Transfer Board: Setup, Steps and Safety Checks

General product and use information only. It is not medical advice. A physical therapist or manual handling professional decides whether a transfer board suits a particular person and shows how to use it.

A transfer board is used by sliding a person sideways, seated, from one surface to another, for example from a bed to a wheelchair. Set up first: surfaces level or slightly downhill, wheels locked, the nearer armrest and footrests removed. Then place the board about one third under the hip, slide the person across in small steps while keeping fingers clear, and remove the board once they are across.

What is a transfer board?

A transfer board, also called a sliding board or slide board, is a flat board that bridges the gap between two seating surfaces such as a bed, a wheelchair, a chair or a car seat. The person slides across the board in a seated position instead of being lifted. One manufacturer describes slide boards as aids for moving people to and from a wheelchair, bed or operating table, and notes that a board does not lift a person the way a hoist and sling does (Pelican Manufacturing, general guide to using slide boards).

The curved variety is covered in banana board (curved transfer board) explained. If a person cannot be slid safely, mechanical lifting is a different category of equipment: see what a patient lift is, types of slings and Hoyer lift parts.

What you need

Equipment named in the guidance:

• A transfer board, with two surfaces that can be brought close together (UAB; Pelican).
• A wheelchair with removable arm and leg rests and lockable wheels. St. Jude states: “Only use a wheelchair with removable arm and leg rests.”
• A transfer (gait) belt, only if a physical therapist has shown you how to use one (St. Jude). UAB places the belt just below the navel, snug.
• Rubber-soled shoes or grip socks, clothing or a transfer sheet to protect legs and seat, and a stool if the person’s feet do not reach the floor (St. Jude).
• One or more transfer pads (St. Jude).
• Clothing or material between the person and the board, so bare skin does not touch it (Pelican).

Steps for a seated slide-board transfer

General steps from the UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation tip sheet, with set-up points from St. Jude and Pelican where they are named.

Set up

1. Make the end surface level with, or below, the start surface. UAB: “It is easier to go downhill if possible.” Pelican agrees that heights should be as level as possible, or the target a little lower.
2. Bring the two surfaces as close together as possible, at an angle to each other (UAB).
3. Lock the bed wheels, if it has them, and lock the wheelchair wheels. Place the chair close to the bed (St. Jude).
4. Remove the footrests and the armrest nearest the other surface (UAB; St. Jude).
5. If a belt is used, apply it just below the navel and keep it snug. Without a belt, use proper hand placement (UAB).

Position the board

6. The person leans away from the destination surface while the board is slid under the buttock on the same side, about one third under the hip, where the buttock meets the thigh (UAB).
7. Part of the board must stay between the person and the surface under them. Pelican warns that the full weight should never rest on the unsupported middle section of the board.

Slide

8. If the person helps, they place a hand on a stable surface, as a fist or flat hand so fingers cannot be caught under the board (UAB).
9. They press down with movable limbs, lean forward and scoot in an arc across the board (UAB). Move a little at a time and keep the person upright (St. Jude).
10. If the person cannot help, the helper bends at the hips and knees, grips the belt on either side of the hips and slides the hips across (UAB). St. Jude adds that the helper keeps knees against the person’s knees to stop a forward slide and keeps a straight back with bent knees.
11. Slide the person, not the board: do not drag a board with a person on top, and do not pull the board to move them (Pelican).

Finish

12. The person leans away from the board and the board is removed (UAB).
13. Help them into the desired position (UAB), then put the arm and leg rests back on (St. Jude).

What can go wrong

Risk	What the source says
Board sagging under an unsupported span	The full weight should never rest on the unsupported middle section (Pelican).
Trapped fingers	Use a fist or flat hand so fingers do not get caught under the board (UAB).
Helper back injury	Even with a lightweight person, a helper in a poor manual handling position may be injured (Pelican). Keep the back straight and knees bent (St. Jude).
Slow or uneven sliding	Upholstery and clothing texture affect sliding, and soft seats such as car seats compress so the board end can point upward (Pelican).
Contamination	A board can be contaminated on both sides. Pelican advises following the facility infection control guidance, which may override its own: spray and wipe both sides with disinfectant and make sure it is dry before use or storage. Non-slip tape on the underside makes a board harder to wipe clean.

Pelican’s advice if anything seems unsafe: stop the exercise and start over.

When to get professional help

• Before first use. Pelican advises having instructions from a manual handling professional and practising with an able-bodied person. St. Jude says the physical therapist decides whether a sliding board is appropriate.
• When you are unsure you can do it alone. St. Jude advises getting a helper if you are not sure you can manage alone.
• If the transfer is unsafe for the person or the helper, another method may be needed, such as a mechanical hoist and sling (Pelican).
• For medical questions, St. Jude advises calling your physician or care team.

Bed height also affects how level the surfaces can be made; see hi-lo beds.

FAQ

What is a transfer board?

A flat board, also called a sliding or slide board, that bridges two seating surfaces so a seated person can slide across instead of being lifted. It is not a hoist and does not lift.

How far under the person should the board go?

UAB describes about one third under the hip, where the buttock meets the thigh. Pelican adds that part of the board must always lie between the person and the supporting surface.

Should the surfaces be the same height?

Level, or with the destination slightly lower (UAB; Pelican).

Do you slide the board or the person?

The person. Pelican says not to drag the board with the person on top.

Can anyone use a transfer board without training?

The sources advise otherwise: get guidance from a physical therapist or manual handling professional first.

Sources

• University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, “#4 Assisted Transfers of Patients: Steps to Performing Sliding Board Transfer” (2006), uab.edu tip sheet. Checked 2026-10-30.
• Together by St. Jude, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, “Using a sliding board” (reviewed September 2022), together.stjude.org. Checked 2026-10-30. Written for families of children.
• Pelican Manufacturing, “General guide to using Slide Boards” (2019), manufacturer PDF. Checked 2026-10-30. Manufacturer guidance.