Common Locations for Pressure Sores

For people who use a wheelchair, pressure sores often occur on skin over the following sites:

• Tailbone or buttocks

• Shoulder blades and spine

• Backs of arms and legs where they rest against the chair

For people who are confined to a bed, (home or nursing home) common sites include the following:

• Back or sides of the head

• Rim of the ears

• Shoulders or shoulder blades

• Hip, lower back or tailbone

• Heels, ankles and skin behind the knees

When to see a doctor

If you notice early signs or symptoms of a pressure ulcer, change your position to relieve the pressure on the area. If you don’t see improvement in 24 to 48 hours, contact your doctor. Seek immediate medical care if you show signs of infection, such as fever, drainage or a foul odor from a sore, or increased heat and redness in the surrounding skin.

This information was taken from the Mayo clinic website.