The skin is the largest organ of the body and one of the most important. Not only does it act as a protect barrier from the outside environment, but it is critical in performing other functions such as temperature regulation and circulation. However, the skin can become damaged over time, if the necessary care and management is overlooked. Skin cells can begin to die off after only 6 hours. This is one of the reasons why the proper pressure care management is so important. Let us take a look at this condition in more detail in order to appreciate how it can be effectively treated.

What Causes Pressure Damage?

Sometimes referred to as pressure ulcers, these sores tend to form if the skin is placed under prolonged periods of pressure. These conditions often develop where the skin is naturally thinner. Examples include the hips, the ankles and the tail bone. Those who suffer from issues with mobility (and therefore sits for longer periods of time) are at a higher risk of developing pressure ulcers. Some of the primary symptoms include noticeable changes in skin colour, areas which are particularly sensitive to pain and skin that feels hot or cold when compared to the surrounding locations. A pus-like fluid may also drain from the area in question. It is estimated that more than 700,000 individuals throughout the United Kingdom suffer from pressure damage every year and if left untreated, these sores can even lead to death (due to conditions such as gangrene and sepsis).

A Serious and Yet Preventable Situation

Many are unaware that skin cells can die in less than six hours, so pressure sores do not necessarily develop over long periods of time. Thankfully, more than 95 per cent of these ulcers are preventable if the correct steps are taken. Some common methods of management include maintaining good hygiene, switching positions every 15 minutes and drinking plenty of fluids. While these are all excellent suggestions, the fact of the matter is that technology has come a long way in recent years. There are many specialised pillows and ergonomic chairs which will help to evenly distribute the pressure around sensitive areas. Thus, the chances of developing an ulcer are dramatically reduced.

Proactive and Effective Management

Experts believe that the NHS spends more than £3.8 million pounds every day on pressure care management alone. The good news is that there are now many alternatives in order to lessen the chances of pressure damage occurring. One of these involves the bespoke seating solutions provided by Felgains Formal. If you or a family member are dealing with pressure ulcers, we are more than happy to help. Please feel free to contact one of our expert representatives at your convenience. We will be more than happy to answer any questions and to discuss your options further. No one should be forced to live with the plight of pressure sores.

Careflex SmartSeat Pro is a specialist seating solution designed for those in need of postural support and control from a chair. Our SmartSeat Pro can easily be adjusted in order to correct a position into mid-line or accommodate an asymmetric posture. It tends to be very flexible ensuring that any posture type and support can be easily changed for each person’s needs and can be adjusted over time to meet a changing postural need.

This chair’s one-of-a-kind posture seating system is great for those affected by complicated postural positions and users who are at higher risk levels of developing pressure sores – especially multiple sclerosis patients, those suffering from cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and scoliosis. This seat can be used at home, in specialist rehab wards, in brain and spinal treatment centres and specialist neurological departments.

The SmartSeat Pro’s flexibility level comes from its four-part backrest to make sure that you can configure it specifically to the user’s needs. This can provide control and stability to areas such as the pelvis, the trunk and the head. The changeable backrest comes with three upper backrest units that can each be changed in depth, height, rotation and angle. Each of the elements has modifiable wings that you can position separately to create bespoke positioning. This specialist seating solution is ideal for anyone suffering from conditions such as MS, MND, and stroke and/or head injuries.

Changing postural needs is where the Smartseat Pro comes into its own – the range of adjustment to meet these changing needs is huge. With minimal parts and cost required, the Smartseat can be set up to support in a different way based on the clinical needs of the end user.

The key features of the Careflex SmartSeat Pro include:

• Seat depth, seat width, back height and footplate all adjustable without the need of extra parts
• Backrest can accommodate asymmetric back shapes and profiles
• Can be set up for many users – great for multi-user environments
• Can accommodate scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis
• Integral Watercell® technology pressure relief as standard
• Full needs assessment carried out
• Range of colours available for the model
• Tilt in space and back angle adjustment

Careflex SmartSeat Pro Size Options

The seat comes in two size options, namely:

• The small- this has a width of between 28 and 40 cm with three possible heights; 45, 48 and 51 cm. It can accommodate a weight of 100kg.

• The middle size seat comes with a width of between 38 and 50 cm and heights of 54, 57 and 60 cm. The maximum weight it can carry is 160kg.

View the Careflex SmartSeat Pro

Specialist seating is all about positioning, alignment and pressure care. Considering aspects such as skin health and integrity, maximising user function, accommodating postural asymmetries and introducing postural alignment, will, in turn, increase comfort, decrease fatigue, and assist with breathing and digestion for the user of the seating.

The aim of specialist seating is to provide stability to the end user. Good positioning provides stability, stability provides comfort, and comfort delivers an increase in health and wellbeing. All of which leads to healing and a better quality of life.

Examples of when Specialist Seating becomes a need:

• Someone has limited mobility
• A person has no sitting balance (i.e. they cannot sit up straight on their own – no core strength)
• When someone has scoliosis and needs support
• The person is sitting for long periods of time
• Hoist equipment is required for transferring in and out of bed/chair (ie they cannot walk)
• Someone has an asymmetric posture
• Someone has pressure sores or is at risk of developing pressure sores.

These needs may cause a person to be seated for longer periods of time which inevitably has repercussions on the body. The specific needs of a person or patient can be identified through a thorough assessment. These requirements, based on the outcome of the assessment, can then be translated to create the specification of a suitable chair system.

Posture Care
Correct musculoskeletal posture minimises strain on the spine and ensures minimum input from the muscle is required for the body to remain in alignment. An even distribution of weight throughout the body is essential to achieve this. Common postural issues for service users can include pelvic tilting, pelvic rotation or excessive curving of the spine; and slumping of the shoulders. These problems can cause chronic pain and discomfort and be worsening for mobility issues. This, in turn, has been shown to sometimes lead to fatigue and depression.

Pressure care
Pressure pain and ulcers can result from poor posture as uneven weight distribution limits blood flow to compressed areas. This can cause damage to the deeper tissue before being noticeable on the outer layer of skin. By the time pressure sores are apparent, these deeper injuries can become problematic and can be vulnerable to infection. Once affected, the area is often weakened and vulnerable to repeated damage. It is important, therefore, to be vigilant for the presence or possibility of ulceration, with prevention being the aim when considering pressure care.

There are areas of the body which are more at risk of pressure damage, these include the sacrum, the backs of the knees, parts of the spine, shoulder blades and, in some cases, the back of the head. These sites should be considered when selecting seating to ensure damage is avoided.

To fulfill a wide variety of seating needs, variations can be made in the dimensions of the seat, the height, shape, and angle of the back of the chair; and the shape and level of the armrests. Due to these many variations, a skilled advisor is essential to the selection process to match the individual service user to the most suitable model. We employ a team of experienced advisers to assist in seating selection for the expanse of varied specialist seating requirements and carry an excellent range of well-established seating and care products.

You can book an assessment or contact us for an informal chat with one of our experts to help significantly improve the long-term health and quality of life for a family member, friend or patient in need.