ABSTRACT
Prevention of pressure sores is dependent on accurate assessment and appropriate action by either the person at risk or the person responsible for his care. In this chapter, the authors present the behavior of different risk groups to combat the danger of pressure sore formation. Able-bodied persons having complete mobility and sensation are not subject to pressure sore formation since they perform weight reduction movements automatically during sitting and sleeping. Spinal cord injured persons spend most of their time in the wheelchair. Depending on the level of injury, they may have limited or no control of the trunk muscles. One way to force the wheelchair dependent person to assume an upright position is to strap the chest to the backrest of the wheelchair. This however limits the range of reach for the person’s hands and causes inconvenience for some persons like paraplegic persons. Patients at risk of pressure sores undergoing surgical procedures require special interventions.
