The lateral safety position is indispensable for many first aid techniques and should be used whenever the person is unconscious, but continues to breathe, and does not present any problem that could be life-threatening.
So, to put someone in this position:
- Lay the person on their backs and kneel beside them; Remove objects that could hurt the victim, such as glasses, watches or belts; Stretch the arm that is closest to you and bend it, forming an angle of 90º, as shown in the image; Take the hand of the other arm and pass it over the neck, placing it close to the person's face; Bend the knee that is furthest from you; Rotate the person to the side of the arm that is resting on the floor; Tilt your head back slightly to make breathing easier.
This technique should never be applied to people with suspected serious spinal injuries, as it happens in victims of car accidents or falls from a great height. See what you should do in these cases.
After placing the person in this position it is important to observe until the ambulance arrives. If in that time the victim stops breathing, he / she should return to lie down quickly on his stomach and start the cardiac massage, to keep the blood circulating and increase the chances of survival.
When to use this position
The lateral safety position should be used to keep the victim safe until medical help arrives and, therefore, can only be done on people who are unconscious but breathing.
Through this simple technique it is possible to ensure that the tongue does not fall on the throat obstructing breathing, as well as preventing possible vomiting from being swallowed and aspirated into the lung, causing pneumonia or asphyxiation.
