Patient education: Activity level (The Basics)

How much activity is right for me? — You might have to limit your activity level for a while because of a health problem, injury, or surgery. Your doctor will tell you how much activity is right for you. Limiting activity allows your body to rest and heal.

Often, you will start at a low level of activity. As your health gets better, you might be able to do a little bit more. Other times, you might not be allowed to do any activity at all for a short time. It is important to only do the level of activity the doctor tells you to do.

What counts as activity? — "Activity" is about more than just walking or exercise. It also involves the tasks that you do each day. These are things like getting dressed, taking a bath or shower, and brushing your teeth. Other examples of activity include:

●Taking care of your home

●Cooking meals

●Driving a car

●Riding a bicycle

●Going to work or school

What are examples of activity levels? — Your activity level can change over time. If you are not sure how much activity is right for you, talk with the doctor or nurse before you get out of bed or try to do things.

Different levels of activity include:

●Bedrest – You might be on bedrest if you are very sick, had surgery, have a serious injury, or have problems with a pregnancy. This means that you should not get out of bed for any reason. You can still shift your weight and change positions. This will help you stay relaxed and might help prevent skin problems that can happen when you stay in the same position for a long time.

Check with your doctor about doing things like:

•"Range-of-motion" exercises (bending and straightening your joints)

•Deep breathing exercises

•Sitting up in bed

Even when you are on bedrest, you are often able to help with feeding yourself. You might be able to help give yourself a sponge bath as well.

●Bedrest with bathroom privileges – This level of activity means that you still must spend almost all of your time in bed or lying down. The only time you are allowed to get up is to go to the bathroom, and then you return to bed. Sometimes, instead of walking to the bathroom, you can only use a portable toilet (or "commode") right next to your bed. This will limit the amount of time spent on your feet. Check with your doctor if it is OK for you to rest on the couch or someplace other than your bed.

●Sitting in a chair – When you are feeling better, you will be able to increase your activity level and spend time sitting in a chair. Before you get up, sit on the edge of your bed for a short time. This can help keep you from feeling dizzy when you stand up. You might need help from another person to keep you safe as you move to a chair. You might start to feel like doing more things for yourself, like taking a sponge bath or getting dressed.

●Walking with help and by yourself – As you get stronger, your doctor will let you start walking short distances with help. Each time, try to walk a little farther. The staff will let you know when it is safe to walk by yourself and do certain daily activities without help.

●Other activities – When you have been sick, had surgery, or had an injury, it can take a while for you to get back to your normal activities. Even if you are feeling better, taking certain medicines for pain can make it unsafe to do certain things. Your doctor or nurse will tell you when it is safe for you to:

•Climb stairs

•Lift items or children

•Do light exercises

•Do light household chores like cooking or cleaning

•Go back to routine tasks, work, or school

•Drive

•Live alone

•Have sex

What else should I know? — It is important to move about as much as your doctor says is safe for you. When you have to limit your activity, you are more likely to have problems such as:

●Losing muscle strength

●Pressure sores (skin damage that can happen from sitting or lying in the same position for too long)

●Pneumonia

●Blood clots

This is why your doctor will suggest activity for you as soon as it is safe.

When should I call the doctor? — If you are in the hospital, the staff will check on you often and tell you when to call for help.

If you are at home, call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:

●You feel short of breath, or have trouble breathing.

●You have sharp or severe chest pain when you breathe.

●You are coughing up blood.

Call your doctor or nurse for advice if:

●You have pain or tenderness in your lower leg.

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●You feel weak or have trouble moving around.

●You have darker spots on your skin or signs of pressure sores. These signs could include redness, pain, or skin that feels different than the skin around it. The skin might or might not be broken open.

More on this topic

Patient education: Staying safe in the hospital (The Basics)
Patient education: Going home from the hospital (The Basics)
Patient education: Pressure sores (The Basics)