The Effect of Shaped Wheelchair Cushion and Lumbar Supports on Under-Seat Pressure, Comfort, and Pelvic Rotation
By Samuelsson, Kersti; Bjoerk, Maarit; Erdugan, Ann-Marie; Hansson, Anna-Karin; Rustner, Birgitta; Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 329-336Publication Date: September 2009
Study evaluated the effect of a shaped wheelchair seat cushion and two different back supports on under-seat pressure, comfort, and pelvic rotation. Study participants, 22 women and 8 men without disabilities and ranging in age from 20 to 53 years, sat in two differently equipped wheelchair models for 10 minutes in each of five wheelchair setups: (1) with an adjustable sling backrest and a standard plane wheelchair cushion; (2) with a nonadjustable sling backrest and plane cushion; (3) with a nonadjustable sling backrest and a shaped wheelchair cushion with a foam-covered cavity under the tuber ishiis; (4) with a nonadjustable sling backrest, plane cushion, and a detachable lumbar support; and (5) with a nonadjustable sling backrest, shaped cushion, and detachable lumbar support. A specially developed inclinometer was used to measure pelvic rotation, seating comfort was estimated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the force sensing array (FSA) was implemented for under-seat pressure mapping. Peak pressure was found to increase with the shaped cushion compared to the plane cushion. No significant difference in estimated comfort was found. Pelvic posterior rotation was reduced with the adjustable or detachable back support irrespective of the shape of the seat cushion. Based on these results, the authors conclude that a combination of a shaped cushion and a marked lumbar support is most effective to support a neutral pelvic position and spinal curvature in users seated in wheelchairs.
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Limited (Website:http://taylorandfrancis.org)
International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (Web Site: http://www.isprm.org )
