Kirton

Important elements of Good Seating: Pressure Relief

Encompassed within the design of all our seating systems is the necessity for good positioning and ultimate comfort. Technology helps us lead the way and incorporation of the latest foam advances with our proven seating products has produced an unparalleled range of pressure care seating systems.

Reflexion™ is an impressive foam that moulds itself to the contours of the user, helping to spread the body weight more evenly across a greater surface area. This function is essential to avoid localised interface pressure on the critical parts of the body subjected to compression and possible tissue damage for example the ischial tuberosities and the sacrum.

In a recent clinical evaluation by the manufacturers Vitafoam, Reflexion™ demonstrated positive pressure ulcer prevention outcomes in every subject. No incidence of pressure ulceration was reported, even on patients regarded as being at high, or even very high risk. Indeed, there was encouraging evidence to support its use for reducing non-blanching hyperaemia as all patients with this condition were free of tissue breakdown at the end of the trial.

Continuous evaluation of Reflexion™ in ongoing at Vitafoam as well as at Kirton to ensure its properties meet our very high standards. Our own research carried out in conjunction with Anglia Ruskin University concurred that the properties of Reflexion™ foam surpassed that of other foams and pressure relieving cushions in the market¹.

Vitafoam´s research compared a Reflexion™ seat cushion with that of an ordinary seat cushion to illustrate the amount of pressure being exerted by the human body. Both tests were conducted using a healthcare chair and an identical protocol was applied to each.

The two tests illustrated that the conventional seat cushion allows the user to sit through the cushion because it does not have the function to adequately support or disperse weight effectively. In fact the pressure exerted approached the maximum level within the test criteria highlighting an extreme localised intensity of pressure that is more likely to be associated with the cause of tissue breakdown. Sustained pressure at this level will become intolerable especially for those without the ability to alleviate the discomfort for themselves. This is also a contributory factor in the development of pressure related ailments.

In complete contrast Reflexion™ seat cushion showed a substantial reduction in interface pressure around the critical area of the buttocks and is completely devoid of any pressure contact areas. The Reflexion™ seat cushion allows weight to be distributed far more evenly avoiding localised pressure areas.

All foams are classified according to performance; therefore class becomes the measure of performance and durability. Each separate composite of a Reflexion™ seat conforms to BS3379 class “V”, intended for use in very severe applications.

Kirton have applied Reflexion™ foam to key products within the range on the principle user contact surface areas to improve their pressure relieving characteristics.

Clinical assessments were conducted by
Tissue Viability Consultancy Services Ltd
Acknowledgement to www.vitafoam.co.uk
¹ “Evaluation of interface pressure distribution for improved seat cushion design”
V Palissary, R Mootanah Bio-Engineering Research Group, Faculty of Science and Technology,
Anglia Polytechnic University (September 2005)