Relationship between ultrasonographically low-echoic lesions under the skin, wheelchair sitting time, and interface pressure on ischial region in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury

This study investigates the connection between physical signs, how long individuals with spinal cord injuries sit in their wheelchairs, and the pressure experienced in the ischial region (the area around the sitting bones). The research used ultrasound to identify lesions under the skin and measured pressure while participants were seated. It found that longer sitting times without pressure relief and higher pressure in the ischial region were linked to the presence of these lesions. The findings suggest that early signs of pressure ulcers develop beneath the skin, and reducing both sitting time and pressure could help prevent these ulcers in people with spinal cord injuries.

• 1
  The pressure duration was significantly longer in subjects of the PU-positive group compared with those of the PU-negative group.
• 2
  Interface pressure at the ischial region areas was significantly higher in areas of the PU-positive group than the PU-negative group.
• 3
  Low-echoic lesions were identified underneath the skin in subjects of the PU-positive group, correlating with long pressure duration and higher interface pressure.