Page 15 - Mobility Management, February 2017

4To what body areas do you most frequently apply dynamic movement?
Rank in order of usage, with 1 being most frequent and 5 being least frequent. In descending order:
1
2
3
4
5
Average Score
Trunk
35.63%
32.18%
20.69%
6.90%
4.60%
3.87
Lower Extremities
30.34%
24.72%
31.46%
8.99%
4.49%
3.67
Pelvis
23.26%
25.58%
16.28%
20.93%
13.95%
3.23
Head
7.87%
16.85%
24.72%
35.96%
14.61%
2.67
Upper Extremities
8.33%
4.76%
5.95%
22.62%
58.33%
1.82
What They Said About Dynamic Seating
In summary, here’s how our survey participants responded.
Usage: About 87 percent of respondents currently
use dynamic seating, with 85 percent recommending, 68 percent working with clients using dynamic seating, and 48 percent supplying dynamic seating. Additionally, 66 percent use modular dynamic seating components, while 34 percent use integrated systems.
Application by body area: Dynamic seating is being used most frequently at the trunk, followed by the lower extremities, pelvis, head, and upper extremities. This survey did not specify in which direction movement was applied. Posterior movement of the trunk often allows posterior movement of the pelvis, depending on the specific dynamic components.
Client Applications: Of survey participants, 79 percent most frequently use dynamic seating with clients who have increased tone and 21 percent with clients who need movement.
Goals and Purposes: Ten purposes or goals of dynamic seating were proposed, and survey partici- pants were asked to rank these suggestions in order
of which “purpose” was most frequently the “goal” of using dynamic seating with clients. Listed in descending frequency:
• To increase sitting tolerance and compliance.
• To protect wheelchair and seating hardware from breakage.
• To decrease agitation.
• To increase function.
• To reduce active extension.
• To provide active range of motion.
• To increase strength and postural control.
• To reduce energy exertion. • To provide vestibular input. • To increase alertness.
Products Challenges: The greatest challenges were as follows, in descending order of frequency:
• Funding
• Durability
Education is needed to increase awareness of dynamic seating and its potential applications
• The client returns to a “starting position,” but is no longer in the desired posture.
• The client does not return to a “starting position”; the dynamic component remains activated.
• The client cannot activate/move the dynamic component.
• Dynamic movement appears to worsen frequency or force of extension.
Finally, 85 percent of our survey participants believe dynamic seating is currently underutilized, 75 percent believe we need more dynamic seating product options, and 20 percent believe that current options could be improved.
Clearly, while many people use dynamic seating with their clients, this technology segment as a whole is still underutilized. The majority of survey participants indi- cated that they are using modular options and believe we need both more product options and improvement of current options. Product limitations mentioned include
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