What are patient safety straps and what are they used for?

Patient safety straps are used to help secure and position patients during care and procedures—reducing the risk of falls, sliding, and unwanted movement while supporting comfort and safe access for clinicians. Common uses include positioning in bed, transport, imaging, and operating room procedures.

What are best practices for using patient safety straps?

Best practices include assessment, planning, proper application, monitoring/adjustment, and education/communication. Fit should be snug—not overly tight—to avoid discomfort or circulation issues. Reassess throughout care to confirm secure positioning and skin safety.

What are the top reasons to use medical bed straps?

The top reasons include: fall prevention, immobilization and positioning, pressure injury prevention, aiding medical procedures, and wandering prevention for patients with cognitive impairment.

Are medical bed straps a complete fall-prevention solution?

No. Bed straps should be used in a supervised setting and in alignment with facility protocols—often alongside additional safety products for a more complete plan.

What is the difference between disposable vs. reusable O.R. straps?

Disposable straps like AliStrap are chosen for single-patient use, quick cleanup, and reduced cross-contamination risk. Reusable straps like VeriClean™ O.R. Table Strap—the only strap with ultrasonically welded seams for complete submersion in high-level disinfectant—are selected when facilities need straps that withstand repeated processing.

What are armboard straps and why are they important?

Armboard straps secure a patient's arm to an armboard to prevent movement that could contribute to complications, while also helping reduce pressure and risk of skin breakdown during surgery.

How do surgical table straps improve patient safety during procedures?

Surgical table straps provide stability and support to help maintain position and reduce unnecessary movement—supporting safer access to the surgical site and reducing risk of positioning-related complications.

How do I choose the right strap for my care setting?

Selection depends on patient needs, procedure type, table/bed compatibility, and infection control protocols. For O.R. settings, see Surgical Straps. For imaging, explore Imaging Straps with radiolucent, metal-free, MR-safe options.

Why are safety straps important for pediatric patients?

Pediatric safety straps help keep children secure during care, transport, and procedures, supporting safety and reducing injury risk when movement must be minimized. For imaging, straps help keep children still for clearer images. For transport, straps secure children on stretchers or wheelchairs during transfers.

Can reusable O.R. straps really be high-level disinfected?

Only if the construction allows it. Sewn seams in traditional mid-panel straps create puncture holes and thread lines that can trap moisture and microorganisms. The VeriClean™ O.R. Table Strap uses ultrasonically welded seamless construction—no stitching, no holes—so it is built for full immersion and can tolerate high-level disinfection between patients. VeriClean is available as a single strap, with a mid-panel, or as a bariatric model. Aligned with AORN environmental hygiene guidance and AAMI ST79 principles for device cleanability and integrity, and supports Joint Commission expectations under IC.02.02.01, IC.01.05.01, and EC.02.04.03.

Why does medical-grade hook-and-loop matter in the sterile field?

Every fractured fiber and shed particle is a contamination risk. Consumer-grade hook-and-loop sheds under repeated use; medical-grade hook-and-loop is engineered to hold securely without releasing particulate at the source. AliMed disposable O.R. straps are built for use in the sterile field and are aligned to support AORN, JCAHO, CDC, and FDA recommendations.

What is the difference between radiolucent and MR-safe straps?

They solve two different problems. Radiolucent means the strap won't interfere with imaging or obscure the anatomy you need to see under X-ray, CT, or fluoroscopy. MR-safe means the strap contains no metal components that could respond to the magnetic field. A strap can be one without the other, so confirm both if you work across modalities.

Do I need a side-rail or no-side-rail strap?

Table type is one of the first things to check. Mid-panel and single straps such as VeriClean, Wipeable, and Deluxe Padded O.R. Table Straps attach to tables with side rails or strap hooks. Cut-to-fit AliStrap and the Universal Econo-Strap wrap the patient and table and need no rails. Universal Straps and the Radiolucent Abdominal Immobilizer, available with one closure or three closures, are configured for both. Armboard straps attach to the armboard only.

What do one, two, or three closures mean?

Closure count describes how many hook-and-loop attachment points secure the strap. A single closure applies quickly and suits routine positioning, transport, and lower-immobilization imaging. Two or three closures spread the hold across a wider area for more secure immobilization, typically chosen for trauma, ortho, bariatric, and cases where movement must be minimized.

Which straps are suited to Trendelenburg and high-movement cases?

Steep tilt, Trendelenburg, and high-movement procedures put more load on both the strap and its attachment to the table. Look for a wide mid-panel that distributes pressure across the midsection, a secure CAM-style closure, and enough length for your table and patient. The VeriClean O.R. Table Strap is designed for high-fluid, long-duration, high-movement, transport, and Trendelenburg cases, with a bariatric mid-panel model for larger patients.

Should I use AliStrap rolls or precut straps?

Rolls are cut-to-fit: 30-ft rolls in 3/4", 1-1/2", 3", 5", and 10" widths, so you cut exactly the length each application needs. AliStrap Precut Patient Safety Straps arrive in ready-to-use fixed lengths, individually wrapped for single use, which reduces measuring and speeds room turnover. Both use the same back-to-back medical-grade hook-and-loop, and AliStrap Soft Precut adds non-abrasive edges for fragile skin.

What straps are used for cath lab and interventional procedures?

Cath lab cases call for secure positioning that still allows full clinical access. The AliMed Cath Lab Immobilizer combines a single-piece circumferential strap with a secondary stabilization strap for added security during defibrillation or conscious sedation. For ASC settings such as endoscopy suites, pain management, and minor ortho or plastics, a disposable padded table strap is often the better fit.

How do I keep the shoulders out of the field for cervical imaging?

Two options address this directly. The AliMed Cervical Visualization Harness uses hook-and-loop straps that extend over the shoulders and crisscross in front, retracting the shoulders of sedated or anesthetized patients for clearer visualization of the lower cervical vertebrae during X-ray. The AliMed Auto Traction Strap applies balanced traction to both arms, fits pediatric through adult patients, and lets a single technologist position the patient from outside the radiation field.

What strap options are available for bariatric patients?

Bariatric straps are wider and longer so the hold is distributed across a larger surface area. Options include the VeriClean Bariatric O.R. Table Strap (11"W extra-large mid-panel, 140"L), the Bariatric Nonmetallic O.R. Table Strap (10"W x 120"L), AliStrap Maxx cut-to-fit rolls (10"W x 30'), the Bariatric Super Strap (12"W x 142"L with 1" padding), and for imaging the Radiolucent Abdominal Immobilizer (14"W x 120"L).

Can straps be used for things other than securing a patient?

Yes—multipurpose hook-and-loop straps like AliStrap can also help secure tubing/IV lines, organize supplies without sticky residue, secure equipment during transport, and manage cords.

Securing every body for every procedure Securing every body for every procedure

Patient Safety Straps for Surgery and Imaging

Every Patient. Every Procedure. Every Time.

Every care environment presents unique patient safety and positioning challenges. That's why our portfolio of Patient Safety Straps is designed to support a wide range of clinical applications, from the operating room and interventional suites to imaging departments and patient transport.

Already know exactly what you need?

Head to our Strap Selector Tool

Whatever the clinical challenge, our breadth of solutions helps you find the right strap for the right setting.

Clinical Environment

Surgical / Operating Room

Designed for operating rooms and interventional suites, these positioning and safety straps help support accurate positioning, patient safety, and support efficient surgical workflows. Available in a variety of configurations, including OR table straps, armboard straps, and specialty designs to support a wide range of procedural needs

Surgical/OR Table Straps

Clinical Environment

Non-Surgical / Imaging

Designed for imaging departments, patient transport, and other non-surgical settings, these straps help keep patients secure, properly aligned, and still during procedures and transfers. Available in MRI-safe and radiolucent options to support a wide range of clinical needs.

Non-Surgical/Imaging Straps

Reusable or disposable: which strap is right for you?

Before you compare specific straps, start with the bigger choice. Reusable and disposable straps both protect and position patients reliably — the right track comes down to your workflow, your infection-prevention priorities, and how you handle reprocessing.

Choose reusable when…

You need durable, cleanable straps for repeated use
You need a cost effective solution for a high-volume environment
Standardized setups are common
Clearly defined laundering/cleaning process

Choose disposable when…

You need single-patient-use options to support infection-prevention workflows
Turnover speed or contamination concerns are high
You want to reduce reprocessing steps

Surgical/Operating Room Table Straps

Choose the O.R. table strap that works for your facility and your workflow. Designed for flexibility and ease, our straps fall into two clear options: reusable, fully cleanable straps built for high-level disinfection, and single-use disposables that leave the room with the patient.

Not sure which strap? Tell us what matters most to narrow it down — or just browse below.

Strap type:ReusableDisposable

Non-Surgical/Imaging Table Straps

AliMed’s imaging table straps keep patients steady, aligned, and scan-ready—without compromise. Designed for comfort and control, they minimize movement while supporting fast, consistent setup across modalities.

From quick scans to complex imaging workflows, these clinician-trusted straps enhance image quality, improve efficiency, and integrate seamlessly with your existing equipment.

Not sure which strap? Tell us what matters most to narrow it down — or just browse below.

Strap type:ReusableDisposable

Armboard Straps

AliMed’s armboard straps keep arms secure, supported, and properly positioned throughout procedures. Designed for comfort and control, they reduce shifting while allowing quick, easy adjustments for your care team.

From routine procedures to more complex cases, these clinician-trusted straps help protect patients, maintain access, and keep workflows running smoothly.

Not sure which armboard strap? Tell us what matters most to narrow it down — or just browse below.

Strap type:ReusableDisposable

Positioning Solutions

Built to support every position.

AliMed’s positioning solutions deliver the tools you need to position patients with confidence. From patient positioners and armboards to pads, hand tables, clamps, and more, every component is designed for stability, compatibility, and ease of use. Together with our straps, they create a complete positioning system that enhances safety, simplifies setup, and keeps procedures running smoothly.