Page 20 - Mobility Management, May 2018

ATP Series
Imagine a seating evaluation for a client who needs complex rehab technology (CRT) interventions.
As part of the evaluation and fitting process, the client sits on
a cushion and comments on how he feels as the seating team notes his posture and how well the cushion fits him as he’s sitting still. The group tries several cushions before settling on the one that seems to be the best fit. Maybe there’s a pressure mapping session, as well, to look for pressure points.
Everything looks good and feels good.
Then the client’s phone, which was sitting on the table next to him, rings. Automatically, he leans to his left and reaches toward the phone, shifting his weight to the side to do so.
What’s just happened to the cushion he’s sitting on?
Cushions & the Active Client
A wheelchair cushion that does its job well is also likely to be a cushion that’s used a lot. Cushions with higher HCPCS codes — the ones for skin protection and positioning and/or adjustability — are designed with the expectation their users will spend a lot of time in their wheelchairs.
Those cushions are therefore likely to be exposed to a number of different activities and environments during their lifetimes.
20 MAY 2018 | MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
The more active the client, the tougher he or she is likely to be on the cushion.
“More active clients usually spend more hours in their chair per day, may have more frequent transfers and other movements, exposure to sunlight and more temperature variations,” said Susan Cwiertnia, Susan Cwiertnia, PT, MS, Director of Medical, VARILITE. “All of these place more demands on a cushion in regards to wear and tear. Certain materials or material combina- tions are more durable, while others like foam would wear faster. Types of activities and transfer also make a difference — for example, using a slide board will typically cause a cushion to wear more.”
Jean Sayre, MSOT, COTA/L, ATP, CEAC, VP of Quantum R&D Clinical Development for Quantum Rehab and Pride Mobility Products, said understanding how the client will use the cushion is critical to selecting the optimal product.
“I always ask for ‘a day in your life, from the time you get up to the time you go to bed,’” Sayre said in describing the questions she has asked clients during evaluations. “That also accounts for transfers they’re doing.”
The glimpse that clinicians and ATPs get during a pressure mapping, for instance — when the consumer is sitting still and
How Seat Cushions Are Impacted When Clients Are in Motion
By Laurie Watanabe
MobilityMgmt.com
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