Follow your doctor’s specific instructions about when and how to ice your injury. Icing an injury is most effective in the first 2 days of recovery.
Avoid applying heat within 48 hours of an injury because doing so can increase inflammation.
The first warning signs of pressure sores include redness, swelling, and warm skin in the area. Call your doctor if you develop pressure sores and they don’t go away in 2 to 3 days of shifting your weight off of the area since you could have a high risk for infection. Take pressure off of the affected area as soon as possible. Tailbone pressure sores occur most commonly if you stay lying on your back for extended periods of time.
Avoid taking your medications on an empty stomach to prevent nausea. If you’ve ever had liver cirrhosis, talk to your doctor about finding an alternative to acetaminophen. Keep your medications on a side table within reach for easy access.
If you prefer to sleep on your back for a mild back strain, place a pillow under your knees to relieve pressure on your lower back. You can also roll up a towel and place it under the small of your back to support your lower spine’s natural curve. If you must sleep on your back to avoid pain, place pillows on either side of you to prevent yourself from rolling onto your side. If your doctor says it’s okay to sleep on your side, place a firm pillow between your knees to keep your spine and hips in alignment with your shoulders.
For instance, if you weigh 140 pounds (64 kg), drink 70 fluid ounces (2,100 mL) of water every day. Opt for water, herbal teas, decaf coffee, and juice and avoid drinking alcohol, coffee, energy drinks, and other beverages that can dehydrate you.
Milk, cheese, yogurt, leafy greens (collards, spinach, kale), okra, soybeans, white beans, sardines, salmon, and calcium-fortified products (orange juice, nut milk, cereal, and oats) are all great sources of calcium. Sources of vitamin D include fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, tuna), beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, and fortified foods (dairy products, oranges juice, nut milk, and cereal).
Ask your doctor about taking stool softeners if you do get constipated. Whole wheat bread and pasta, barley, bran flakes, quinoa, oatmeal, and brown rice are all fiber-rich carbs to enjoy while you’re on bed rest. Split peas, lentils, black beans, chia seeds, and almonds are also good choices. Too much fiber can cause constipation, so don’t go over 70 grams per day.
Watch out for hidden sodium in frozen meals, deli meats, snack foods, condiments, canned foods, cereals, and bread. A ¾ teaspoon (4 grams) serving of salt contains roughly 1,600 mg of sodium.
For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, eat at least 57. 6 grams (2 oz) of protein per day. The recommended daily amount is 46 grams (1. 6 oz) per day for women and 56 grams (2 oz) per day for men. Vegan and vegetarian sources of protein include tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, legumes, and plant-based protein powder are great options.
For each day of bed rest, you lose about 1% of your muscle strength—when it comes to minor injuries, less is more. If you’re taking bed rest to treat a back sprain or minor pain, don’t do it for more than 1 or 2 days because inactivity can slow your recovery, stiffen your muscles, and increase your pain. The only situations in which bed rest is necessary is if you have a serious back fracture and are awaiting surgery or if you’re recovering from surgery. If that’s the case, your doctor will likely recommend bed rest until your surgery or for the first 1 to 3 days after surgery. If you have a broken leg, your doctor may suggest part-time bed rest (in which you get up and move around every day with crutches or a helper).
Lying in bed can weaken your diaphragm, so it’s important to do deep breathing exercises to keep your chest and lungs strong.
Laying down too much can cause your bladder to stretch out, decreasing pressure and causing you to urinate less often—so even if you don’t have to go, try anyway.
Ankle pumps will help stretch the plantar and dorsal muscles in your feet and work your calves and tibialis anterior on the front of your lower legs. If you have a lower-body injury like a broken leg or foot, do not attempt to move the ankle on the same side as the fracture.
Do 5 reps once a day or as directed. If you’re in bed rest for a spine injury, talk to your doctor before attempting to do leg raises.
Think of the movement as being similar to a bicep curl. If you have a shoulder or upper-body injury, check with your doctor before attempting to do elbow extensions.
Repeat the same movement with your other leg. If you have a spine, hip, or lower-body injury, talk to your doctor before attempting this exercise.
If you have an upper-body injury like a broken rib, shoulder, or arm, talk to your doctor about if or when you can safely perform arm raises.
Consider inviting friends and family over once or twice a week to play games or watch a movie.
The “Arts and Culture” section of newspapers typically have wordplay and math puzzles like crosswords, Bananagrams, sudoku, and KenKen.
If you don’t have books on hand, ask a friend to bring you one of their favorites or order one online and have a helper bring it to your bed. Reading will also keep your mind sharp while you’re on bed rest.
