SEATING
Sponsored by: Careflex
Posture, Positioning and the Pelvis
Seating solutions expert Careflex highlights the importance of specialist seating for those with compromised abilities because of illness or a disability.
In everyday life most people make postural change instinctively. We shiſt our buttocks, stretch our legs out, move our head, neck and shoulders- we’re constantly on the move to keep ourselves feeling good. We manage our own comfort, posture and stability without a second thought.
However, when a person’s abilities are reduced or compromised by illness or disability, oſten they cannot make these voluntary movements themselves. This is why we need to pay close attention to their lying and seating positions to maintain their comfort and stability, and to ensure pressure ulcers do not occur.
Comfortable,
Supported and Happy Many people have to spend a lot of time in bed because ordinary chairs and wheelchairs do not give them enough support, but with the right
seating choice, a bedridden person can re-join their friends and family in daily life. Their quality of life can be improved immeasurably.
People suffering from kyphosis and many elderly people sit in chairs with their head slumped forward or to the side – chin to chest. Gravity can trap people in these destructive postures. This impairs their breathing, their ability to talk, so communication is poor, and their ability to eat and drink.
Together with the correct body, neck and head supports, as required, a TiS chair allows you to change the reclining angle of the seat and back without adjusting the user’s hip and knee angle. A tilt of as little as 200 can reduce pressure under the buttocks and thighs. A TiS chair will also help redistribute body weight and help combat fatigue.
A major consideration is the position of the pelvis. Gail Russell, an independent Occupational Therapist, said: “The pelvis is the foundation for building a stable seating posture. Get the pelvis position correct, or at least the best you can, and everything above and below has a better chance of improving.”
Poor posture can exacerbate changes in body shape due to adaption of tissues and might impact on body systems. It’s therefore imperative that a full assessment is made to select a chair that is right for the user. A chair set up for someone else is highly likely to make things worse.
Important measurements are seat width, depth and height, arm height, back height, then the correct head and neck support, and whether the user needs lateral supports, a footplate… to name the basics. When an individual is given a chair, an OT should then reassess it with the individual in it.
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Sitting for long periods, without specialist seating, in an asymmetrical and unsupported position can lead to skin and soſt tissue damage, oſten resulting in pressure ulcers. This can range from a slight discolouration of skin to a serious deep wound that may leave many tissue layers exposed.
This process of skin breakdown can be made worse by other factors such as incontinence, immobility, sensory impairment and age. Pressure ulcers oſten develop on the buttocks, sacrum, hips, heels, spine, and around the head. The result is pain and anguish, oſten in patients already suffering from chronic illnesses. Choose a chair which offers continuous low-pressure relief for people at medium to high risk of pressure damage.
In the long run, the correct seating will improve quality of life immeasurably.
www.careflex.co.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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