Mobilização precoce em pacientes críticos: um olhar sobre as escalas de mobilidade

Abstract

Early mobilization of critically ill patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) is a key intervention to reduce complications from prolonged immobility, prevent intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW), and support functional recovery after hospital discharge. This study presents a simple literature review, with an exploratory and descriptive approach, carried out in the PubMed, SciELO, PEDro, and Cochrane databases, considering articles published between 2015 and 2025. A total of 56 studies were included, addressing early mobilization and the main scales used to assess mobility in critically ill patients, such as the ICU Mobility Scale (IMS), the Perme ICU Mobility Score, and the Functional Status Score for the ICU (FSS-ICU). The findings show that early mobilization contributes to improved functional outcomes, shorter hospital stays, reduced time on mechanical ventilation, and lower risk of delirium. Despite these benefits, important barriers remain, including limited adherence by the multidisciplinary team, heterogeneous protocols, and clinical challenges related to sedation and vasoactive drugs. Mobility assessment scales stand out as essential tools for monitoring patient progress and guiding physiotherapeutic interventions, although further studies are needed to strengthen their applicability across different clinical settings. It is concluded that early mobilization, combined with the systematic use of these scales, is essential to enhance recovery, quality of life, and functionality in critically ill patients, reinforcing the importance of standardized protocols and multidisciplinary engagement.