Recovery Position
- hellonotarealdr
- Jun 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 21
The recovery position is an extremely useful piece of first aid to know. It is used when:
The person is unconscious — so, does not respond to voice or touch
Breathing normally
Pulse is present and regular
No suspected spinal injury
Stretch!
You should never put someone with a suspected spinal injury in the recovery position unless they are at immediate risk of choking. This is because moving them introduces the risk of causing further damage. There is, however, a spine injury-specific recovery position that you can research if you are interested. It's known as the HAINES position.
There are many scenarios that recovery position can be used in. Some of the most common include after a fainting episode, when unconscious but breathing well, and post-seizure* (once breathing normalises).
The recovery position is really useful because it provides a safe and comfortable position for an unconscious person to wake up in — because their airway is open in this position there is no risk of choking or obstruction*.
When should you not use the recovery position?
If the casualty is not breathing/breathing is irregular — instead, start CPR immediately
Suspected spinal injury — keeping the casualty* still is the priority as moving them can cause further damage
Conscious and responsive — no need to roll over.
How to put someone in the recovery position?
As a reminder, this is what the recovery position looks like.
So, to put someone in the recovery position, follow these steps. Note that it does not matter what side they are rolled onto unless they are bleeding. If they are bleeding on their side, roll them on to the side that the wound is, because it can help put pressure on the wound.
Take the arm closest to you, and place in a right angle with the palm facing upwards.
Take the arm further away from you and place the back of their hand against the casualty’s cheek (the cheek closest to you).
Hook your arm around the back of the knee furthest away from you, and bring it over them so that they roll onto their side and the hand that you placed against their cheek is being used as a pillow.
Place this leg in a right angle.
In the upwards-facing palm (step 1) place any of their possessions that you can see/reach easily (like a small bag, phone, purse, keys). This helps to reassure them when they become conscious.
Here's a photo showing how you put someone in the recovery position:
Summary:
The recovery position is used to help an unconscious person who is breathing stay safe while waiting for help. It keeps their airway open and makes them less likely to choke on vomit or their tongue. The person is gently rolled onto their side with their head tilted back and limbs positioned to support them.
Glossary:
Seizure: A seizure is an episode where someone starts shaking and jerking uncontrollably. There are other kinds of seizures , like absence seizures, where the casualty doesn't shake - but you don't need to use the recovery position for this.
Obstruction: an obstacle blocking something.
Casualty: the person that got hurt in a first aid scenario.
For Older Learners
Challenge yourself with these questions!
What physiological mechanisms make the recovery position effective at keeping the airway open?
Can you think of a scenario where putting someone in the recovery position might delay life-saving first aid? What could you do to combat this?
When might you still place someone in the recovery position, even if they have a spinal injury?
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