The first thing to know about the term at hand is its etymological origin. In this case we can state that it is a word that derives from Latin, exactly from “decubitus”, which can be translated as “lying down” and that it is the result of the sum of several different parts:
-The prefix “de-”, which means “from top to bottom”.
-The verb “cubare”, which is synonymous with “lie down”.
-The suffix “-to”, which is used as a passive participle.
The concept refers to the position that an animal or person adopts when they lie down and, therefore, lie horizontally .
For example: “The victim's body was in a lateral recumbent position,” “To perform this exercise, you must first lie supine,” “I want to spend the whole day in a recumbent position, looking at the ceiling without doing anything.”
It is possible to differentiate between different recumbent positions . The supine position is one in which the body rests on its back. This means that the person rests their back on the surface and looks up. If someone is lying supine on a bed, their gaze will be directed toward the ceiling of the room.
Regarding the supine position, another series of relevant aspects must be taken into account, such as these:
-It is the most used in surgery, to undertake abdominal operations, the upper part of the body or even the anterior neck.
-In the same way, we cannot ignore that this position is also used, with enormous frequency, to perform x-rays of the spine.
-This position allows lung expansion to occur while facilitating the alignment of the different body segments.
In the prone position, on the other hand, the body rests on the belly and chest. The individual, therefore, lies face down. Returning to the case of a subject who is in bed, the prone position implies that he has his eyes against the pillow or mattress, unless he turns his head and rests one cheek.
If someone lies on their side, adopt the lateral recumbent position. This is one of the most common positions at bedtime, with the body lying on one of its sides . It may be the right lateral decubitus position or the left lateral decubitus position .
Specifically, the left lateral decubitus position is considered to be one of the most beneficial for sleeping for several different reasons:
-It comes to facilitate lymphatic drainage of the brain.
-It favors the heart, since it makes it easier for it to pump in the best way.
-Improves the performance of digestion.
-It is considered to favor the state and functioning of the liver because it secretes its enzymes into the digestive tract.
When the position can be maintained naturally , it is called indifferent recumbency . On the other hand, if there is no way to maintain the position naturally, it is classified as forced recumbency .