How to help a patient get out of bed — safely for them and for the carer

To help a patient get out of bed safely, break the movement down into 3 stages: rolling onto the side, sitting up with the legs lowered over the edge, and standing up with the trunk leaning forward. The patient does as much as they can on their own, and the carer only guides them: standing close, feet slightly apart, knees bent. Never pull the patient by the arms or lift them under the armpits.

Below: warning symptoms, preparing the space, the steps with a description of the holds, protecting the carer’s back and the most common mistakes.

Contents

How to prepare the bed and room before getting up?

Set the bed so that when the patient sits on the edge, their feet are flat on the floor and their knees are roughly level with their hips. Lock the wheels of the bed and wheelchair, remove rugs, cables and backless slippers. Have a stable chair with armrests, a walking frame or crutches within reach, and good lighting, also at night.

Put shoes with a full heel on the patient, not just socks. We write more about arranging furniture, grab rails and the bathroom in our post how to prepare your home for home physiotherapy.

How to help a patient get out of bed, step by step?

First, ask the patient to bend their legs and roll onto their side, facing you. Then help them lower their legs over the edge of the bed and push up on their elbow, then their hand, into a sitting position. After a moment’s rest, the patient moves to the edge of the bed, draws their feet back, leans the trunk forward and stands up, pushing off the mattress with their hands.

1. Announce the movement. Say what you are doing and count “one, two, three – up we get”.
2. Rolling onto the side. The patient bends their legs, places their arm in the direction of the roll and rolls onto their side. You help by holding their shoulder and hip, not their arm.
3. Sitting up. The patient lowers their feet over the edge of the bed and pushes up on their elbow, then their hand. You support the shoulder and guide the legs with your other hand.
4. Rest. Let them sit for a moment with their hands resting on the bed. Ask whether they feel dizzy.
5. Standing up. The patient draws their feet back under their knees, leans forward “nose over toes” and stands up. You stand to the side, on the weaker side, with one hand at their hip and the other at their shoulder blade.
6. Stabilising. Before taking the first step, the patient stands for a moment holding the walking frame.

If the patient reports pain, dizziness or sudden weakness, stop and sit them back down.

How can the carer protect their back?

Stand as close to the patient as possible, feet hip-width apart, one foot slightly in front of the other. Bend your knees and hips and keep your back straight. Do not twist your trunk – turn by moving your feet. Use the strength of your legs, not your arms. If the patient cannot help, do not lift them on your own; ask a second person or use equipment.

With a heavy load, a transfer belt, a turntable or a hoist helps – it is worth choosing the equipment with a physiotherapist.

What not to do when helping a patient get up?

Do not pull the patient by the arms or lift them by gripping under the armpits. This hold overloads the shoulder joint and may damage it, and in people after a stroke it contributes to a painful shoulder on the weaker side. Also, do not put the patient’s arms around your neck, do not rush and do not do for them the movements they can manage on their own.

Common mistakes are getting up straight after waking, without sitting for a moment, and standing in front of the patient instead of to the side, which stops them leaning their trunk forward.

How can a physiotherapist help at home?

During a home visit, the physiotherapist assesses how much the patient can do on their own, works with them on strength and balance, and teaches the carer safe holds on the patient’s own bed. They also advise on choosing equipment, e.g. a walking frame, a belt or grab rails. We provide home physiotherapy up to 15 km from Rydułtowy, including in Rybnik and Wodzisław Śląski.

Home physiotherapypractising getting up, transferring and walking in the patient's home, instruction for the carerapprox. PLN 200 for up to 5 km, then + PLN 2/km; the exact price is agreed when booking

Prices valid from 08.2026. The physiotherapist decides on the number of visits individually. If your loved one has just come home, read where to start with an older person’s rehabilitation after hospital.

Summary

Break getting out of bed down into 3 stages: rolling onto the side, sitting up and standing up with a forward lean, with a moment’s rest in between. The carer stands close and to the side, works with their legs and does not pull on the arms. If the patient cannot help with getting up, a second person, equipment or instruction from a physiotherapist at home is needed.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if the patient starts to fall while getting up?

Do not try to stop them by force, as you may both fall. Hold them close to you by the hips and help them slide down slowly onto the bed, a chair or the floor, protecting their head. After a fall, do not lift them straight away – check whether anything hurts, and if they have hip pain or a head injury, call for help.

Is it worth buying a transfer belt or a hoist?

A transfer belt gives the carer a secure grip at the hips instead of pulling on clothes or arms, and is useful when the patient partly helps with getting up. A hoist is needed when the patient cannot put weight on their legs. It is best to decide on equipment after an assessment by a physiotherapist, as unnecessary equipment can limit independence.

What should I do if the patient feels dizzy after standing up?

Sit them back down straight away and wait until the dizziness passes. At the next attempt, let them sit on the edge of the bed for longer and move their feet, which helps circulation. If the dizziness keeps recurring, or there is fainting or vision problems, contact a doctor, as the cause may be medication or drops in blood pressure.

How do I help someone get up after a stroke?

The rules are the same, but the carer always stands on the weaker side, protects the weaker shoulder and does not pull on the weakened arm. It is worth agreeing the direction of rolling and the side from which the patient gets out of bed with a physiotherapist and practising it at home, as they depend on the degree of weakness, muscle tone and the position of the bed.

Sources

• Saedon N.I., Tan M.P., Frith J., The Prevalence of Orthostatic Hypotension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 2020.
• Waters T.R., When is it safe to manually lift a patient?, American Journal of Nursing, 2007.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Stroke rehabilitation in adults (NG236), 2023.
• Act of 25 September 2015 on the profession of physiotherapist (Ustawa o zawodzie fizjoterapeuty).