Comparison of three wheelchair cushions for effectiveness of pressure relief.

OBJECTIVE Previous studies have suggested that no single wheelchair pressure-relieving cushion material was optimal for all persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the short-term pressure-relieving ability of the three most commonly prescribed wheelchair cushions (Roho, Jay, Pindot) for a person with SCI. METHOD The number of pressure sensors registering at the buttock-cushion interface during wheelchair sitting was measured by the Xsensor Pressure Mapping System after 5 min of sitting. An alternating treatments research design, with an initial baseline and a final treatment phase ending with the most effective cushion for relieving pressure, was used for the clinical evaluation. Measurements were compared using visual inspection and a Wilcoxon signed ranks test. RESULTS Data analyses indicated that the number of pressure sensors that registered potential harmful levels of pressure at the buttock-cushion interface for the Roho cushion was significantly less than those of the Jay and Pindot cushions. CONCLUSION The Roho cushion was more effective in relieving pressure at the seating surface than the Jay and Pindot cushions.