Effect of seated posture on interface pressure in children who are able-bodied and who have myelomeningocele.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between sitting position and interface pressure distribution in seated children.


METHODS
Fifteen able-bodied children and 15 children with myelomeningocele complete paraplegia, aged 7 to 18 years were included in the study. The body-seat interface pressure was measured with the QA pressure measurement system. Four sitting positions typically used to reduce body-seat interface pressure position (recline, tilt, combined and lean forward) were compared to a neutral position.


RESULTS
Test/re-test Pearson correlation coefficients were greater than 0.94 for maximum pressure and greater than 0.88 for mean pressure at all test positions (p < 0.0001) and, for the risk area (defined as the percentage of sensors which recorded pressures greater than 40 mm Hg.) varied from 0.62 to 0.85 (p < 0.0005). Maximum pressures for the myelomeningocele group were significantly higher than those recorded for able-bodied subjects in the neutral, combined and lean forward positions (p < 0.001). For the able-bodied subjects, maximum pressures at the combined (p < 0.001), tilt (p < 0.05) and lean forward (p < 0.0001) positions were significantly lower than those measured at the neutral position. For the myelomeningocele subjects, maximum pressure at all tested positions was significantly lower than at the neutral position (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results point to the importance of measuring body-seat interface pressure for each wheelchair user and of using the information to customize wheelchair utilization.
Vaisbuch
N
N
Nitsan Association for Learning Disabilities, Jerusalem, Israel.
Meyer
S
S
Weiss
P L
PL
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000009:adverse effects