Pressure Relieving Effect of Adding a Pelvic Well Pad to a Wheelchair Cushion in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates whether adding a special pad, called a 'pelvic well pad,' to a wheelchair cushion can help reduce pressure on the ischium (the lower part of the hip bone) for people with spinal cord injuries. The pelvic well pad is a firm, 2.5-cm thick pad with a cut-out area designed to relieve pressure specifically around the ischial area when placed under a standard wheelchair cushion. The study found that using this pad in addition to a regular pressure-relieving cushion reduced both the average and peak pressures on the buttock-thigh area and increased the contact area, potentially helping to prevent pressure ulcers.

• 1
  Adding a pelvic well pad resulted in a decrease in the average and peak pressures of the buttock-thigh area.
• 2
  The contact area of the buttock-thigh area increased when the pelvic well pad was added.
• 3
  The study suggests that the pelvic well pad redistributes pressure from the ischial area to the thigh.