Effects on sitting pressure distribution during the application of different cushions and anterior height wedges.
Eun-Ji Go, Sang-Heon Lee
PMID 28356617WHAT IT FOUND
For healthy young adults, a 5-cm foam cushion produced the lowest sitting pressure, outperforming gel cushions and anterior wedges.
Adding a wedge to a cushion did not lower pressure further. Assessing posture is essential before recommending cushions or wedges for pressure redistribution.
Key findings
01Sitting on a 5-cm foam cushion resulted in the lowest mean and peak pressures in both genders.
02Mean hip pressure was highest when sitting on a 6-cm anterior wedge without a cushion, while mean thigh pressure was highest on a firm surface without a wedge.
03The study suggests that professionals must assess posture before recommending cushions or wedges, as sitting position significantly affects interface pressure.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only healthy young adults (ages 20-27), so results may not apply to patients with disabilities, existing pressure ulcers, or different body compositions. It is a pilot study with a small sample size (n=36). Only two cushion types (gel and foam) and two wedge heights (3 cm and 6 cm) were tested. The study did not include patients with conditions like stroke or spinal cord injury, despite discussing them in the context of future guidelines.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these pressure redistribution findings apply to clinical populations with disabilities or existing pressure injuries. The study was conducted exclusively on healthy young adults with no sitting problems, so the optimal cushion and wedge configuration for a patient with neurological or orthopedic impairment cannot be inferred from this paper.