Wheelchair Cushion
A wheelchair cushion is one of the most important accessories used in a wheelchair. It prevents pressure ulcers and increases body comfort and support. A lot of research and technology development goes into developing wheelchair cushions.
The results are remarkable and because of this, there is a wide range of products to choose from which makes it even more difficult to decide on a particular wheelchair cushion. Many factors determine the type of cushion a user needs, such as weight, sitting balance, type and extent of injuries, how much time is spent on the wheelchair, etc.
A good wheelchair cushion should easily form into the shape of the person, allocate the person’s weight evenly and should not generate any pressure points. It should not slip from the wheelchair either. If the wheelchair cushion slips, then it would cause a lot of unwanted consequences like rashes, sores, etc., as well as affecting the activities of the person.
There are many different materials that are used in cushions, which have both advantages and disadvantages. In general, a wheelchair cushion should be water resistant as well as shock resistant in order to make the user feel comfortable while traveling in different terrain and weather conditions.
The first step in selecting a good wheelchair cushion is to select the right material for it. There are mainly three types of materials:
Foam cushion
It is basically made out of polyurethane. They are typically lightweight, low maintenance and they vary widely in stiffness and density. Sometimes they can get hot and damaged by moisture and light, so a protective cover is often used to cover them. Foam cushions impacts well, so it’s great in case of collision with obstacles of accidents. They are less expensive than the other types of wheelchair cushions.
Gel cushion
As its name implies, it’s made with gel on the sitting side, and foam on the other side. This wheelchair cushion distributes weight evenly which effectively diminishes pressure on one single area. It also transfers heat effectively.
Air cushion
It is composed of many pockets of air which are interconnected so that the air is quickly transferred from one pocket to the next. Also air cushions can be modified to relieve pressure on a sensitive part of the body. This cushion should be checked for air leaks regularly.
Hybrid cushion
It combines two or more of the materials from above. The idea is that that one material’s weakness can be compensated with the other material’s strength and vice versa.
In the end, the right wheelchair cushion should be selected by testing different brands and by self experience.
