It’s important to know why allowing complete chest recoil is so vital when performing CPR. In this post, we’ll discuss what it is and why it’s necessary.
What does “complete chest recoil” mean?
Why is it so important that victims of cardiac arrest have their chest allowed to fall completely back after each compression?
How can you tell if your victim has been given the right amount of time for a full inhale/exhale cycle while they are on the ground or in the recovery position?
The importance of having your victim in the sternum displacement position (head tilted back and lifted, chin pointing skyward) while continuing CPR.
How do know when they’re ready for a new compression cycle?
What are some signs that you should stop CPR completely?
The article is divided into two parts: “Why it’s Important” and then “How to do Properly”. In part one, we’ll cover why allowing complete chest recoil is crucial during high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Once again being mindful not only about how much pressure you put on their chest but also making sure that after each exhales their chest fully falls back down naturally without any further assistance from the rescuer. We’ll also cover some signaling that you should stop CPR completely.
In the next paragraph, we’ll discuss how to do proper chest compressions with a few guidelines and notes on what not to do.
Make sure they’re in a suitable position (see above) before starting CPR: head tilted back and lifted, chin pointing skyward
Place your hands over their sternum bone – fingers interlocked just below the breastbone (not too high up near neck or shoulder blades), palms down
Compress at least two inches for adults while only one inch for children less than age 12 years old
Push firmly but avoid pumping quickly as it can cause bruising; rather allow complete recoil after each compression cycle is completed then start the next
Allow complete recoil after each compression cycle is completed, then start the next
In your own words:
It’s important to allow for complete chest recoil (chest going back down completely) when performing high-quality CPR. This allows the rescuer to provide a better seal on their hands and compressions are more effective because of it. Some things worth mentioning about this technique include making sure that you’re in the proper position before starting any resuscitation effort – see above for details. The other point involves not lifting or pumping too quickly but rather allowing full range of motion with both limbs and also being mindful of how hard you push into someone else’s body as bruising can occur during these efforts if there is an imbalance between force and range of motion.
How to perform CPR:
make sure the person on their back has been tilted so that they have a clear airway – in other words, open up their mouth by placing your hands around it at about jawbone level (to help prevent them from biting off any part of the tongue or cheek). Place one hand over both cheeks to hold it open while tilting head backward with fingers on forehead
don’t let the chest recoil fully before beginning compressions
time each compression for approximately 100 milliseconds; ideally this would be 15 compressions per minute but always check what your local guidelines are
after each compression, allow full chest recoil to take place before doing the next one
if you’re having trouble with this part of CPR then get a partner who can help out by pushing on their back during compressions while you do the hand pushes; alternatively use two hands for either stabilization or pressing down into them.
work in sets of 30 until someone else takes over (usually an emergency responder)
make sure your head is always at the person’s neck level so that air doesn’t escape from underneath your chin and go up into their mouth. This will also prevent saliva spilling onto their clothing which may lead to infection later on.”
“One of the most common mistakes people make when performing CPR is that they don’t allow for full chest recoil after each compression.
This means you’ll compress their chest then release it, allowing them to take a breath before starting again.
It’s important because if done correctly this allows for more oxygen into the lungs and ensures constant circulation by pumping blood back up towards the heart.”
