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Nobody Around to Save You from Choking? Save Yourself by Falling on the Floor

"Nobody Around to Save You from Choking? Save Yourself by Falling on the Floor" cover image

Choking is scary in any situation, but it's exponentially worse when there's no one around to perform the Heimlich maneuver. Even more so when there aren't any chairs or countertops anywhere.

Woman experiencing difficulty breathing.

Fortunately, fire medic Jeff Rehman has a great method for saving your own life when things get desperate. Best of all—it requires nothing more than a solid floor.

Get into a Pushup Position

Immediately get on your hands and knees in a modified "pushup" position. The aim here is fall onto your own chest, so position yourself accordingly.

Man practicing a yoga pose on a carpeted floor in a studio.

Fall onto Your Chest

Shoot your arms out in front of you so that you'll fall, forcefully landing on your chest and belly.

Person performing a floor exercise in a studio setting.

Repeat if Necessary

This will push air up through your throat, hopefully dislodging whatever is causing you to choke. Repeat if necessary to clear out the blockage.

Person kneeling on a carpet in a music studio surrounded by instruments.

As Rehman points out, this method is not foolproof, but in a desperate situation, it's a very helpful technique to know. To see a video of it in action, just watch below.

Image by BRC

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