21 Simple Exercises For Bedridden Patients On Bed Rest

A common misconception is that bedridden patients cannot perform exercises. This patient population is actually one of the most important populations who should be performing exercises even on bed rest as long as it is cleared by a doctor and performed safely. These 21 exercises for bedridden will improve strength, and range of motion and decrease the risk of pressure ulcers, contractures, and DVT.

Bed-bound patients need active mobilization exercises to build muscle strength and prevent muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy is the loss of muscle mass and strength. Physical activity has been shown to combat muscle atrophy and decrease the risk of death.

Exercises For Bedridden

The patient population that is most likely to be on bed rest for long periods is older adults. If the patient is severely deconditioned and unable to perform these exercises independently, passive mobilization exercises can be performed. Passive mobilization exercises are when someone else helps performs passive exercises by moving the patient’s body.

The best exercises for bedridden are 1. Side Rolls 2. Supine To Sit 3. Leg Lifts 4. Supine Hip Abduction 5. Modified Clamshells 6. Seated Marches or Hip Flexion 7. Heel Slides 8. Quad Sets 9. Long Arc Quad (LAQ) 10. Ankle Pumps 11. Ankle Rotations 12. Supine March 13. Arm Lifts 14. Bicep Curls 15. Shoulder Shrugs 16. Hamstring Stretch 17. Calf Stretch 18. Palm Stretches 19. Upper Trap Stretch 20. Neck Rolls 21. Wrist Rotation.

All of these exercises are bed exercises and are designed specifically for the patient population who has been on bed rest for a long time. The good news is that these are the best exercises to prevent bed sores, improve blood circulation, mobility and strength.

You should check with your healthcare provider prior to starting any exercise program. In addition to this if you are bedridden due to a fracture or surgery, please adhere to your precautions. 

Bed Mobility Exercises

The best bed mobility exercises for seniors are 1. Side Rolls and 2. Supine to Sit.

1. Side Rolls

• Roll all the way to your left side and then all the way to your right side.
• This does 2 things.
  • It improves your bed mobility.
  • It decreases the risk of pressure sores.
    • Bedridden patients are at a high risk of pressure ulcers.
    • If you are unable to perform this exercise on your own you can have some assistance from another person or you can use a bar if you have a home hospital bed.

2. Supine to Sit

• It is good to sit up, as it is better for your lungs and breathing.
• Perform this by bringing your legs toward the edge of the bed and pushing up with your arms.
• You may need a trained healthcare provider to help provide a little help at your trunk or legs. 

Leg Strengthening Exercises For Bedridden Patients

The most important leg exercises for bedridden patients include 4 hip exercises to improve lower body strength for bedridden patients. All of these exercises can be performed either lying down in bed or seated at the edge of the bed depending on your skill level. These leg strengthening exercises include 3. Leg Lifts 4. Supine Abduction 5. Modified Clamshells 4. Seated Marches.

3. Leg Lifts

• While lying on your back squeeze your thigh muscle while keeping your knee straight and lift it up.
• Now slowly return back to the starting position.

4. Supine Hip Abduction

• There are two ways to perform this exercise.
• The first is by lying on your back and sliding your leg out to the side.
• This should be performed if you are too weak for the harder version of this exercise in the next bullet point.
• Lie on your side with your hips stacked on top of each other and lift up your top leg.

5. Modified Clamshells

• Start by lying on your back with both knees bent.
• Now slowly let your legs fall out to either side. This means your right leg will fall to the right and your left leg will fall to the left. Now slowly bring the legs back together.
• If this is too easy you can place a resistance band around your knees for added difficulty.
• You can also perform this exercise seated.

6. Seated Marches

• This exercise should only be performed if you are able to safely sit at the edge of your bed.
• Lift one leg up at a time like you are marching in place.

Knee Exercises After Being Bedridden

These 3 knee exercises are the most important exercises after being bedridden. These exercises will improve knee mobility and strengthening the leg muscles or quadriceps muscles, which will improve the ability to stand and walk. These leg exercises for bedridden seniors include 7. Heel Slides 8. Quad Sets 9. LAQ.

7. Heel Slides

• Lie on your back and place a towel, strap or sheet below your foot and hold the ends with your hands.
• Now slowly bend your knee while using the sheet to help assist you in bending your knee.
• This exercise is great for knee range of motion and mobility.

8. Quad Sets

• Start with your legs straight.
• Now tighten your quad or thigh muscles and attempt to push your knee down into the bed.
• If you are having difficulty with this exercise then place a small towel underneath your knee and try to push the back of your knee down into the towel.
• Hold this for 5-10 seconds
• This exercise improved quad activation and knee extension.

9. LAQ

• Only perform this exercise if you are able to safely sit at the edge of the bed.
• Start by kicking your leg straight out in front of you until it is fully straight.
• Now slowly bend it until it is back to the original position.
• You can find more variations of LAQ exercises at How To Do Short vs Long Arc Quad Exercise With Variations.
• For added difficulty, you can add ankle weight.

Ankle Exercises

The best ankle exercises are 10. Ankle Pumps and 11. Ankle Rotations.

10. Ankle Pumps

• Another term for this is ankle plantarflexion-dorsiflexion exercise.
• Start pumping your ankles up and down.
• This is great for blood flow and blood circulation.

11. Ankle Rotations

• Start moving your ankles in circles.
• This is easiest to perform with a small towel underneath your ankle to allow room for your calf to work.

Core Strengthening Exercises For Bedridden Patients

Core exercises are important in strengthening the core or abdominal muscles. These core strengthening exercises for bedridden patients improve core strength, which will allow a patient to improve the ability to get into/out of a bed, sit up, and maintain postural control. The core strengthening exercises for bedridden patients are 12. Supine March.

12. Supine March

• This is great for the abdominal or core muscles.
• Start on your back with your knees bent.
• Now tighten your abdominal muscles.
• When performing this core activation you should feel your muscles around your belly button tighten.
• Now lift one leg up while it is bent and then slowly lower it down to the bed.
• Now perform on the opposite leg.

Arm Exercises For Bedridden Patients

These upper body exercises are great arm exercises for bedridden patients. These includee 13.Arm Lifts 14. Biceps Curls 15. Shoulder Shrugs can all be performed in bed. Below are pictures of each exercise and a description on how to perform each exercise correctly.

13. Arm Lifts

• This is a simple exercise that is good for the shoulders.
• Raise your left arm and your right arm above your head and then slowly back down.

14. Bicep Curls

• This exercise is for your arm muscles.
• Slowly bend your elbows towards your chest and then bring them back to the starting position.

15. Shoulder Shrugs

• Shrug your shoulders backward.
• This exercise is best when performed either seated or propped up in bed.
• This is a good posture and shoulder mobility exercise.

Passive Exercises For Bedridden Patients

These stretch/ mobility exercises for bedridden can be performed either passively by a physical therapist or caregiver or actively with the patient performing the stretches themselves. These passive exercises include 16. Hamstring Stretch 17. Calf Stretch 18. Palm Stretches 19. Upper Trap Stretch 20. Neck Rolls and Wrist Rotation.

16. Hamstring Stretch

• Lie on your back and wrap a towel, sheet or strap underneath your foot.
• Now lift your leg up in the air with the sheet while keeping your leg straight.
• Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then bring your leg back down to the bed.
• You can also perform this exercise with a strap to help assist with the hamstring stretch.
• If the patient is unable to perform this exercise a caregiver can lift one leg up while keeping the knee straight to stretch the hamstring muscle.

17. Calf Stretch

• Put a towel underneath your foot and pull your ankle up until you feel a stretch in the back of your lower leg.
• If the patient is unable to perform this exercise independently, a caregiver or physical therapist can push the bottom of the foot near the ball of the foot towards the patient until they feel a calf stretch.
• Hold for 20-30 seconds.
• This can help to prevent contractures.

18. Palm Stretches

• Start with arm out in front of you with your elbow straight and your palm away from you. Now use your other hand to pull your fingers back towards you.
• This will stretch your palm, wrist and forearm muscles.
• As mentioned in previous exercises if the patient is unable to actively perform this exercise a caregiver can assist in stretching the palm and holding it for 20-30 seconds.

19. Upper Trap Stretch

• Your neck muscles can get very tight when lying in bed.
• Start by placing your hand on the opposite side of your head.
• Now pull down towards your armpit and hold this position for 30 seconds.

20. Neck Rolls

• This exercise a neck circle.
• The goal of this is to improve your neck mobility.
• Slowly start moving your neck in a clockwise circle 10 times and then switch directions.

21. Wrist Rotation

• Start rotating your wrist in circles.
• Perform this 10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise.

Summary of Exercises For Bedridden

These regular exercises are simple to perform and will dramatically improve quality of life. The most important things to remember are consistency is key! Try to do at least 5 of these exercises for bedridden each day. 

If your bedridden need was only temporary, your balance is most likely poor. Try these 15 Creative Dynamic Balance Exercises To Improve Stability In Seniors.