Effects of seating education and cushion management for adaptive sitting posture in spinal cord injury: Two case reports

RATIONALE: Pressure ulcers can frequently occur in spinal cord injured patients living in wheelchairs. Therefore, to manage the cushion in sitting posture is important for preventing ulcers. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patients visited seating clinic in rehabilitation hospital for uncomfortable sitting posture. The patients were asked for posture control and cushion air management training in a sitting posture to prevent sores. DIAGNOSIS: The diagnosis was spinal cord injury. INTERVENTIONS: Two patients with spinal cord injury were subjected to posture training while the quantity of air in the cushion was being modulated to minimize gluteal pressure by measuring the pressure in the sitting position in the driver's seat using an X-sensor. OUTCOMES: In Case 1, as a result of air control, contact area showed 1108.06 cm(2), average pressure 45.20 mmHg, contact area increased, and mean pressure decreased. In Case 2, the contact area 974.19 cm(2) and the average area 41.00 mmHg were measured by applying the change to the ROHO low-Quardro type, showing a decrease in the average body pressure from the initial stage. LESSONS: From the results of this study, it was found that measurement of body pressure and posture training using a sensor that provides visual feedback is effective in preventing pressure ulcer. Therefore, it is necessary to perform routine control of the sitting pressure in the clinic and management training of the air cell cushion.