# Bed Rest --- **Bed rest** is an often ill-advised treatment for illness or injury where the patient just stays in bed all day long. It used to be proscribed quite often, but it turns out to be not that helpful for convolesence. We're just not designed to be immoble for long periods of time, we're designed to be up and moving about. >[!science] 1:4 For every **1** day of bed rest it takes up to **4** days to recover your strength. We're starting to see a lot of studies that show periods of bed rest: - increase length of stay (LOS) in the hospital - increase readmission rates - the number of readmission rates is highest for [[heart failure]] patients - increased referrals to SNFs - impared physical and cognitive functioning - higher rates of [[healthcare associated infection|HAIs]] - skin breakdown - CAUTI - [[central line|CLABSI]] - skeletal muscle atrophy - muscle mass decreases by —1.5-2% per day during bed rest - joint [[contracture]] - [[thrombus|thromboembolitc]] disease - Virchow's Triad - venous stasis - activation of blood coagulation - vein damage. • [[atelectasis]] ## Early and Progressive Mobility The key to fighting the effects of bedrest are early and progressive mobility. Start with what you can do and push yourself just a little bit every time you get up. Especially in older adults, we want them moving safely every day. ![[mobility guide.png]] ___