Does Prolonged Sitting Pressure Affect Sitting Pressure, Flexibility and Discomfort? ((wheelchair))

HH.3. Scope:

Which is about 12.29% of the population consists of disabled people in Turkey and the highest rate of disability It is known that physical disability (1). Having at least one wheelchair of approximately 75 million worldwide according to 2019 data plays a critical role in improving mobility (2). In fact, the wheelchair is one of the most widely used assistive technology tools to increase personal mobility and is a precondition for those with limited mobility to enjoy their human rights, live in dignity and become more productive members in their community. For many people, a well-designed and well-equipped wheelchair can be the right step for social inclusion (3). More than half of wheelchair users need assistance with using their wheelchairs and daily living activities (4). The literature investigating the factors affecting wheelchair use mainly consists of variables related to the environment and physical characteristics of wheelchair users (4). Correct selection and configuration of wheelchairs can increase mobility, effectiveness and participation (5).

While sitting comfort is associated with softness and support, lack of support, unbalanced pressure distribution, biomechanics and fatigue factors are associated with sitting discomfort. Anatomical factors can cause characteristic tissue loads that appear to be associated with tissue damage, discomfort, or axillary posture or movement modifications. Following excessive or prolonged tissue loading, cell death may lead to the development of superficial or deep compression wounds (6). A superficial pressure sore first affects the skin layers near the epidermal tissue and is typically associated with damaging friction and shear forces with the presence of moisture and heat (7). Deep compression sores typically begin with the deformation of deep muscle and fat tissues beneath the ischial tuberocytes in the sitting position (8). Although the etiology of pressure sores is multifactorial (9), continuous pressure at the user seat interface is considered the most important factor (10,11). Therefore, wheelchair features are very important for posture and pressure sores. In our study, wheelchair features will be examined and these features will be compared with patient satisfaction. In addition, wheelchair characteristics and patient satisfaction in different patient groups (such as spinal cord injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebrovascular Incident (stroke)) will also be discussed.

Hypotheses Ho: There is no difference between initial sitting pressure and posture in wheelchair users and sitting pressure and posture after 2 and 3 hours.

H1: There is a difference between the initial sitting pressure and posture in wheelchair users and the sitting pressure and posture after 2 and 3 hours.

H2: There is a difference between the initial sitting pressure and posture and the sitting pressure and posture after 2 and 3 hours in different patient groups.

H.4. Method: Individuals Patients who are being followed up in FTR or neurology Neurology clinics at Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine will be included in the study. In the G-Power analysis we conducted, Cascioli's study was based on comfort (12). However, we think that the number of people to be included in the study is low in terms of objectivity of the data. For this reason, a preliminary study will be conducted during the study and the sample number will be confirmed.

1. Physical characteristics and history taking: Patients will be asked in detail about age, height, weight, disease diagnosis and duration, and wheelchair characteristics.

   Inclusion criteria were:

   1. Patients with multiple sclerosis, myopathies, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, polio and medulla spinalis incision,
   2. Being 18 years of age or older,
   3. have used a wheelchair for at least three months,
   4. being dependent on a wheelchair (all day) or at certain times of the day as the primary means of movement, Individuals will be excluded if they have suffered pressure sores within the last year.

2. Evaluations After taking the patient's history, the person was taken to MAT bed for 20 minutes. will be provided to rest. 20 minutes At the end, the patient who passes to the wheelchair will be asked to evaluate the comfort and discomfort they perceived after the first contact in the chair as 0 (none) -10 (very bad). Grading will be asked to evaluate the discomfort in the head, neck, back, waist, hips and legs, not the general sense of comfort. Meanwhile, pressure and posture will be evaluated.

   • Route-Reach test: This test is used to evaluate hamstring and trunk flexion flexibility. The subject will be asked to sit on the test table with both knees in extension on a firm surface and reach out with his hands and feet without bending the knees. The distance between the fingers and the tip of the test table is measured with a ruler