Technique for Z-track injection

(A) Step 1: By blocking the needle pathway after an injection, the Z-track technique allows I.M. injection while minimizing the risk of subcutaneous irritation. The illustrations here show how to perform a Z-track injection. Before the procedure begins, the skin, subcutaneous fat, and muscle lie in their normal positions.

(B) Step 2: To begin, place your finger on the skin surface, and pull the skin and subcutaneous layers out of alignment with the underlying muscle. You should move the skin about 1 cm.

(C) Step 3: Insert the needle at a 90-degree angle at the site where you initially placed your finger. Inject the drug and withdraw the needle.

(D) Step 4: Finally, remove your finger from the skin surface, allowing the layers to return to their normal positions. The needle track (shown by the dotted line) is now broken at the junction of each tissue layer, trapping the drug in the muscle.