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What is a recovery position in first aid?
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Should you put someone in a recovery position if they pass out?
Learn how to put someone in the recovery position if they are unconscious but breathing. Follow the steps in the video or the written instructions, and check for spinal injury signs.
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- Overview
- What is the recovery position?
- The 7 steps of the recovery position
- Is there a recovery position for babies?
- When should you use the recovery position?
- Does the recovery position work?
- Takeaway
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You never know where you’ll be when someone needs first aid. The recovery position is one way bystanders can help until first responders arrive.
Medical emergencies can happen anywhere at any time. They can result from progressive conditions or random circumstances. When they happen, the first aid knowledge of the people on the scene can make a difference.
The recovery position has been a staple of first aid for decades. It’s the specific positioning of an unconscious or unresponsive person to:
•keep their airway open and draining
•lower their chance of aspiration
•reduce chest pressure
•limit neck movement
Originally, the recovery position was left side only. People thought this would decrease the chance of vomiting.
The recovery position process can help move someone as gently as possible in a way that people can universally learn and apply.
While there are small variations to how people teach it, it generally involves several steps. You can follow the steps here as though you’re placing someone on their left side.
1.Turn their head gently to the left, and check for breathing and a pulse. Check inside their mouth to see if a visible airway obstruction may be removable.
2.Gently extend their left arm away from their body at a right angle, on the floor, with their palm up.
3.Place their right palm down on the ground above their left shoulder. This arm will cushion their face when you turn them.
4.Bend their right knee at a right angle and gently turn their body to the left side. Take care of their head when turning them.
Holding the baby
1.Hold the baby on their side, in your arms, with their head slightly lower than their stomach. 2.Keep the back of your hand under their mouth and nose to monitor breathing (you can wet your hand to increase its sensitivity). 3.Make sure you keep the baby warm with a coat or a blanket.
Not holding the baby
1.Position the baby on their side, using a blanket or another soft option to keep their head slightly lower than their stomach. 2.Monitor their breathing. 3.Keep the baby warm with a coat or a blanket.
People typically use the recovery position for conditions of unconsciousness when breathing may be weak, such as:
•hypothermia
•fainting
•diabetic coma
•epilepsy/seizure
•poisoning
Despite its long history of use, the verdict is still out on whether or not the recovery position is truly beneficial. Most studies assessing it have been on healthy participants because it isn’t something experts can easily study in a real-world setting.
According to a 2022 research review, insufficient evidence exists for or against the recovery position to warrant changing current first aid guidelines.
This was also the opinion of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation in their 2020 International Consensus on First Aid Science with Treatment Recommendations.
In their position statement, the committee recommended that first aid responders continue using the recovery position due to insufficient evidence against its use.
The recovery position has existed for a long time, and experts continue teaching it in first aid courses worldwide.
While there’s uncertainty about its true benefits, it’s an easy-to-learn tool to have on hand if you need to provide first aid to someone unconscious.
The recovery position is a first aid technique to keep an unconscious person's airway open and prevent aspiration. Learn the steps for adults and infants, when to use it, and its efficacy.
Learn how to place an unresponsive but breathing adult in the recovery position to keep their airway open and prevent vomit from blocking it. Follow the step-by-step instructions and watch the video on the web page.
May 9, 2018 · If a person is unconscious but is breathing and has no other life-threatening conditions, they should be placed in the recovery position. Putting someone in the recovery position will keep...
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Jul 16, 2023 · The recovery position is a body position used to keep the person still, open their airways, and prevent aspiration. Learn when to use it, how to do it, and when not to use it in different situations.
Learn how to put someone into the recovery position if they are unconscious and breathing, to keep their airway open and prevent passive vomiting. Follow the 8 steps with illustrations and tips from a first aid expert.
Mar 1, 2023 · Last Updated: March 1, 2023 Fact Checked. The recovery position is used for people who are unconscious but breathing. The recovery position is different for infants. After you do basic first aid, and if you're sure that the person does not have a spinal or neck injury, put someone in the recovery position.
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