Home | Fact Sheet | Recovery position

Essential Emergency Response

Recovery position

Download Fact Sheet PDFs

What to do

Adult or child (over 1 year) 

  1. With the patient on their back, kneel beside the patient and position their arms.
    • Place the patient’s furthest arm directly out from their body.
    • Place the patient’s nearest arm across their chest.Position the patient’s legs.
  2. Position the patient’s legs.
    • Lift the patient’s nearest leg at the knee and place their foot on the floor so the leg is bent.
  3. Roll the patient into position.
    • Roll the patient away from you onto their side, carefully supporting their head and neck the whole time.
    • Keep the patient’s leg bent with their knee touching the ground to prevent the patient rolling onto their face.
  4. Place the patient’s hand under their chin to stop their head from tilting and to keep their airway open. 

 

Infant (under 1 year)

  1. Lie the infant face down on your forearm.
  2. Support the infant’s head with your hand.