Tips for moving the body sideways in bed | Move little by little, not all at once

You want to bring them back to the middle of the bed, but…

When caring for someone, do you ever find:

• Before I know it, their body has drifted to the edge of the bed.
• I try to bring them back to the center, but they are too heavy to move.
• If I use force it looks painful, and I worry.

In fact, when moving the body sideways on the bed too, there is no need to try to move it by strength alone.

By moving the body little by little, you can sometimes lessen the strain on the person.

Take care not to drag the body

Dragging the body across the bedding causes friction and shear on the skin, which can be a burden on the person.

When moving someone who can hardly move by themselves, there are methods such as using assistive devices like a sliding sheet, or having two people assist as needed.

It is also important to adjust the height of the bed so that the person assisting does not end up in a strained posture.

If you are unsure how to do it at home, have a physical therapist, occupational therapist, visiting nurse or similar show you with your actual bed setup.

It matters not to try to move everything at once

When moving the body sideways, trying to move the whole body at once tends to put strain on both the person and the one assisting.

So there is a method of moving little by little, in the order of upper body, pelvis, lower body.

1. First, move the upper body a little

To begin with, move the upper body just a little sideways, starting from the head end.

The point is not to try to move far in one go, but to change the position just a little.

2. Next, move the pelvis area a little

Once the position of the upper body has changed, next move the pelvis area a little.

Adjusting the pelvis area after the upper body makes it easier to keep down the strain on the person and the one assisting, compared with moving the whole body at once.

3. Finally, move the lower body

Finally, move the lower body, including the legs, a little.

With this, the position of the whole body is in place.

Repeat as needed

If you have not reached the position you want, repeat the order of:

1. Upper body
2. Pelvis area
3. Lower body

Moving little by little makes it easier to adjust the body's position comfortably while keeping down the strain on the person.

Order matters more than strength

When assisting, there are times you think:

• I want to get it done in one go

But moving the body a long way in a hurry can pull on the skin and put strain on the body.

It is important to divide the body into parts and adjust its position little by little.

There are things only family can do

It is fine if you cannot do it well from the start.

Simply being aware of adjusting the position little by little, rather than moving the body all at once, leads to assistance that is gentle on the person.

When in difficulty, consult a professional

If assisting with moving the body sideways is difficult, or if there is pain, try consulting a physical therapist, occupational therapist, visiting nurse or similar.

They may be able to teach you a way of assisting suited to the person's physical condition.

Summary

When moving the body sideways on the bed, the point is not to try to move the whole body at once, but to move little by little in the order of upper body, pelvis area, lower body.

Repeating this flow as needed makes it easier to adjust the body's position while lessening the strain on the person.

Assisting is not something done by strength alone.

Being aware of the order in which the body moves easily leads to days spent with peace of mind.

References: Japanese Society of Pressure Ulcers, "Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pressure Ulcers (4th edition)"; Noriki Ukita, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tohoku Fukushi University, webinar 「褥瘡予防のための福祉用具活用とポジショニング ～臥位と座位のチェックポイント～」 (on assistive devices and positioning for pressure ulcer prevention; attended in 2026, Japanese)

* This article is restructured for families who have just begun caregiving, with reference to what we learned in Mr. Ukita's webinar. The suitable way of assisting differs with the person's physical condition. If there is pain during assistance or you are unsure of the method, please consult a professional such as a physical therapist, occupational therapist or visiting nurse.