FitnessFor

FitnessFor answers

How do I get someone in and out of a car safely?

Vehicle caregiving is easier when you can walk, squat to a comfortable depth, keep your trunk organized, and stay patient through a slow task.

The recovering person’s exact vehicle-transfer method must come from their surgical team or physical therapist, because restrictions and mobility needs differ from person to person.

Sources: ACSM position stand: exercise quantity and quality, Safe patient handling and mobility, Returning to activity after injury or surgery

Build your own vehicle-day capacity

Step-ups, split squats, and sit-to-stands build the leg control used around curbs, low seats, and repeated standing. Carries and rows build grip, upper-back, and trunk capacity for bags, mobility equipment, and ordinary logistics.

Add walks that you can repeat without needing a recovery day. Better walking tolerance helps when a simple appointment includes parking, waiting, hallways, and more than one trip.

Sources: ACSM position stand: exercise quantity and quality, Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour

Let the team own the transfer plan

Ask the recipient’s care team which vehicle setup, seat height, assistive device, and level of help are appropriate. They can teach the patient-specific process and confirm whether a second person is needed.

Your role is to prepare the car, carry what belongs to you, move deliberately, and keep your own balance. This page does not prescribe how to move the recovering person into or out of a vehicle.

Sources: Safe patient handling and mobility, Returning to activity after injury or surgery

One safety line

If the recipient becomes faint, distressed, painful, or unable to follow the clinical plan, pause and contact the care team rather than improvising a harder transfer.

Sources: Safe patient handling and mobility

A little more strength can make the trip less chaotic, leaving more attention for the person in the passenger seat.

Sources

  1. ACSM position stand: exercise quantity and quality — Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2011
  2. Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour — World Health Organization, 2020
  3. Safe patient handling and mobility — National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  4. Returning to activity after injury or surgery — American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons