The recovery position

Posted on 9 April 2008

Warning: do not use the recovery position if the person has a major injury, such as a back or neck injury.

Procedure

• Kneel next to the person.
• Remove any glasses and bulky objects, such as keys, from his or her pockets.
• Place the arm closest to you at a right angle to the body, with the elbow bent at 90 degrees and the palm upwards. With your one hand, bring the furthest arm across the chest and place the back of the hand against the nearest cheek.
• With the other hand, pull the far leg into a bent position and pull it so that the person gently rolls towards you. Protect the head with one hand.
• Adjust the leg so that the hip and knee are bent at right angles. This will support the body.
• Tilt the head up slightly. Make sure that the hand is under the cheek to support the head.
• Regularly monitor that the airway remains open.
• Place a blanket over the person and stay close until help arrives.

Recovery position for babies
For a baby older than one, follow the steps as described above.
For an infant under a year old, cradle the infant in your arms and on the side, with the head slightly lower than the body. Support the head and neck, keeping the mouth and nose clear. Check on breathing.

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.