LAKEPORT, Calif. – According to the age-old saying, if you don’t move it, you lose it.

Research is finding that the same is true for hospital patients, and unnecessary bed rest causes more harm than good.

An analysis on bed rest demonstrated that lack of movement was not beneficial and led to complications such as muscle atrophy, pressure ulcers and weakened bones, according to a 2009 study on mobilizing intensive care patients published in the Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal (CPTJ).

“The sooner a patient moves, the better,” said Joe Prisco, PT, director of Rehabilitation Services for Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “Even 48 hours of bed rest depletes the physiological reserve of patients and can lead to a 35 to  50 percent decline in patient functionality. There is also an increased risk for falls and readmission, as well as a longer length of stay.”

Post-hospitalization weakness can last for years, according the CPTJ study. However, early mobilization may reduce the muscle deconditioning which results from bed rest. Early exercise and physical therapy decreases inflammation, pain and immobility, according to the study.

Other risks of unnecessary bed rest include an increased risk for stroke, bone density loss, urinary tract infection, constipation, increased sensitivity to pain, and decreased circulation.

“Even a little bit of movement is beneficial,” said Prisco. “Sitting in a chair instead of bed for meals, dangling your feet over the bed, or doing bed exercises increases function. Frequent ambulation (walking), is also important. It’s much easier to lose muscle tone than it is to restore it.”

Movement helps restore muscle tone, gastrointestinal function, normal breathing, blood flow, and strength and balance, as well as ward off pneumonia and fluid buildup in the chest.

“Rest and sleep is important, but a patient should rest upright and move whenever possible, unless the doctor has strictly ordered otherwise,” said Anne Garner, RN, Medical/Surgical Unit Nurse Manager. “Ambulation affects every function of the body. While pain may be unavoidable, movement disrupts ‘pain pathways.’ Complementary pain management like the resources offered by our Comfort Cart can also help, as pain is partially a mental experience over which a patient has a degree of control.”

If you or a loved one is hospitalized, proactively communicate with your care providers about how to maintain functionality through frequent movement; be sure to understand your plan of care and ask questions.

To learn more about safe ways to maintain function while hospitalized, please contact Sutter Lakeside Hospital Physical Therapy at 707-262-5090.