The benefits of early mobilisation

What is early mobilisation?

Early mobilisation means «moving» a person as quickly as possible after surgery, or any other illness that involves forced bed rest. This involves mobilising a patient's body directly in bed, sitting them up – as soon as possible – on the edge of the bed or a chair, standing them up or making them walk.

Which patients are concerned?

Early mobilisation can be recommended to all patients who have been bedridden, for example following surgery or a health problem such as a stroke. The idea is to get all patients moving as quickly as possible, as soon as their state of health allows.

What are the benefits of early mobilisation?

Mobilising joints during bed rest helps to maintain good overall joint amplitudes, which improves the effectiveness of physical recovery. As the patient actively participates in the movements performed during mobilisation, we see less loss of muscle strength. What's more, by getting out of bed as quickly as possible, patients reduce the risk of pressure sores forming, as they can alternate their positions by changing the body's support points.

Early mobilisation also helps to maintain optimum cardiorespiratory capacity and reduce the risk of embolism. Finally, there is an important benefit to be noted: promoting the patient's independence. The sooner patients regain a certain level of independence, the sooner they will be able to leave hospital, and in a better state of general health.