Subcutaneous Fat Thickness Remarkably Influences Contact Pressure and Load Distribution of Buttock in Seated Posture

This study investigates how the thickness of the fat layer in the buttocks affects pressure and load distribution when sitting, particularly for people with spinal cord injuries who are at risk of developing pressure ulcers. The researchers used computer models to simulate buttocks with different fat thicknesses sitting on various cushions to see how the fat affects the pressure on the skin and the stress within the deeper tissues. The findings suggest that while fat can help reduce pressure on the skin when sitting on hard surfaces, it doesn't always accurately reflect the stress on deeper tissues, especially in those with thicker fat layers.

• 1
  Fat tissue in the buttock could reduce the contact pressure when sitting on the rigid seat.
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  Contact pressure solely could not be used to estimate the internal tissue stress of seated buttock, especially in subjects with thicker fat tissue.
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  The unloading effect of cushion would vary among subjects with different fat thicknesses.