How should a first aid responder position their body while giving compressions?

When giving chest compressions, it is crucial for a first aid responder to position their body properly to ensure effective compressions and to minimize the risk of injury. Positioning the shoulders directly over the hands while locking the elbows allows the responder to use their body weight effectively. This alignment helps to generate sufficient force for compressions while maintaining stability and reducing fatigue.

Locking the elbows ensures that the force is transmitted through the arms and down into the chest of the person receiving CPR, maximizing the depth and effectiveness of each compression. This technique also helps prevent the responder from using only their arms to compress the chest, which can be less effective and much more tiring over time. By adopting this stance, the responder can provide high-quality compressions, which are critical in a cardiac emergency.

Other body positions, such as having elbows bent, leaning forward at an angle, or standing upright, do not provide the same level of effectiveness or efficiency in delivering compressions, as they either compromise the straight line of energy transfer or reduce the compressive force needed for effective CPR. Thus, the best positioning involves the shoulders over the hands with locked elbows to ensure maximum effectiveness.