Bed rest is often used to treat a variety of medical conditions. Prolonged bed rest causes major cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal and neuropsychological changes. Negative effects include thromboembolism, pneumonia, muscle wasting and physical deconditioning. Many of the negative effects begin within days of confinement, but consequences can last much longer. Specifically, in acute DVT/PE, bed rest has no impact on the risk of developing new PE. Furthermore, in acute low back pain, advice to stay active compared to rest in bed showed benefits in pain relief and functional improvement. Therefore, it is important to limit bed rest as much as possible.
Sources:
Adler J, et al. Early mobilization in the intensive care unit: a systematic review. Cardiopulm Phys Ther J. 2012 Mar;23(1):5-13. PMID: 22807649.
Aissaoui N, et al. A meta-analysis of bed rest versus early ambulation in the management of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or both. Int J Cardiol. 2009 Sep 11;137(1):37-41. PMID: 18691773.
Castelino T, et al. The effect of early mobilization protocols on postoperative outcomes following abdominal and thoracic surgery: A systematic review. Surgery. 2016 Apr;159(4):991-1003. PMID: 26804821.
Dahm KT, et al. Advice to rest in bed versus advice to stay active for acute low-back pain and sciatica. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Jun 16;(6):CD007612. PMID: 20556780.
Stuempfle K, et al. The physiological consequences of bed rest. Journal of Exercise Physiology. 2007;10(3):32-41.
Related Resources:
Patient Pamphlets: Treating Lower Back Pain: How much bed rest is too much?