Weight Shifting Effectiveness of Dynamic Cushion vs Manual Lifting
A five year study of 13 adult full time wheelchair users published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development.
Effects of conventional and alternating cushion weight-shifting in persons with spinal cord injury.
Gary A. Wu, PhD; Kath M. Bogie, DPhil
An effective wheelchair cushion is essential to prevent pressure ulcer development, enabling the individual to achieve optimal mobility function and quality of life. Use of an alternating-pressure air cushion (APAC) may provide regular automatic weightshifting. A repeated-measures study of thirteen adult full-time wheelchair users with spinal cord injury was carried out to determine whether APAC use provides reliable, effective pressure relief compared with independent pressure relief (IPR). We found that IPR positively affects multiple aspects of tissue health but produces brief improvements. APAC use provides dynamic and continuous weight-shifting with more sustained positive tissue health effects.
Source: http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2014.01.0009