What is "tripod position"

n. (context medicine English) A physical stance a person in respiratory distress takes leaning their hands on their thighs with their arms supported on them; leaning or sitting against a wall in a similar fashion

The tripod position is a physical stance often assumed by people experiencing respiratory distress (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients) or who are simply out of breath (such as a person who has just run a sprint). In tripod position, one sits or stands leaning forward and supporting the upper body with hands on the knees or on another surface. Among medical professionals, a patient adopting the tripod position is considered an indication that the patient may be in respiratory distress. In the setting of chest pain without labored respirations, the tripod position may indicate acute pericarditis.

It has been thought that the tripod position optimizes the mechanics of respiration by taking advantage of the accessory muscles of the neck and upper chest to get more air into the lungs. According to Schwartzstein and Parker, "with the position of the arms secure, contraction of the pectoralis results in elevation of the anterior wall of the chest."

However, a 2007 Indian study of the tripod position in COPD patients found no significant helpful effects, so perhaps more study is needed to understand the mechanism.