How can I tell if I have a pressure sore?
First signs. One of the first signs of a possible skin sore is a reddened, discolored or darkened area (an African American’s skin may look purple, bluish or shiny). It may feel hard and warm to the touch.
A pressure sore has ...
Areas where bones are close to the surface (called "bony prominences") and areas that are under the most pressure are at greatest risk for developing pressure sores.
In bed, body parts can be padded with pillows or foam to keep bony prominences (areas where bones are close to the skin surface) ...
What is skin tolerance?
Skin tolerance is how much time your skin can stand to be under pressure before damage starts to occur. Each person's skin tolerance is different. Some people may need to relieve pressure very often, others may not have to do it as often, but they still need ...
What do I need to know?
Ninety-five percent of all pressure sores are preventable!
After spinal cord injury, your skin requires daily care and a lot of attention.
You will need to spend time daily cleaning the skin, keeping it dry (from incontinence or perspiration), checking the skin for problems or changes, moving ...
What do I need to know?
Individuals with SCI are at high risk for developing pressure sores.
Pressure sores can be life threatening.
Possible complications:
Infections can develop and spread to the blood, heart and bone.
Amputations
Prolonged bed rest necessary for healing can keep you out of work, school and social activities for months.
Because ...
A pressure sore (also called pressure ulcer, decubitus ulcer, decubiti (plural), bedsore or skin breakdown) is an area of the skin or underlying tissue (muscle, bone) that is damaged due to loss of blood flow to the area. Blood flow to the skin keeps it alive and healthy. If the ...
What is the study about?
Survival within two years after spinal cord injury (SCI) has greatly improved over the past few decades, although long-term survival after the first two years has not shown significant improvement. However, people with SCI still have higher rates of mortality than people without SCI. To better ...
The pressure relief technique you use will depend on your level of injury, the type of wheelchair you use and how much movement and strength you have in your arms and shoulders.
Tilting or reclining
If you are unable to perform independent pressure reliefs, you can use a power tilt wheelchair for ...
Opioids are drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. While some opioids like morphine are made from the plant directly, others such as fentanyl and tramadol are created in a lab. Opioids are often used as medicines because they can relieve pain. However, opioids can also make people feel ...
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center presents an audio factsheet on Opioids And Your Health. The factsheet was developed by Thomas N. Bryce, MD, Jan Schwab, MD, PhD, Philip Siddall MBBS,
PhD, and Tiffany Wong, MD in collaboration with the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center. The information in this factsheet is ...
People with SCI are more likely than the general population to have health problems related to not being active. Regular exercise can help to reduce the risk of health problems after SCI.
What is the study about?
This study aims to assess the link between body mass index (BMI) and one-year mortality among people who survived the first 90 days after spinal cord injury (SCI). The first year after SCI has a significantly higher mortality rate than the following years. To improve life ...
This is a part of the Hot Topic podcast series from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center on Exercise and Fitness After Spinal Cord Injury. Lynn Worobey, PhD, DPT, ATP, researcher, discusses Accessing Adaptive Equipment.
A barrier that some people might find with different types of fitness is … for sports, ...
This is a part of the Hot Topic podcast series from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center on Exercise and Fitness After Spinal Cord Injury. Michael Boninger M.D, researcher, discusses The Benefits of Team Sports.
I think team sports and spinal cord injury bring in not only fitness, so you’re propelling ...
This is a part of the Hot Topic podcast series from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center on Exercise and Fitess After Spinal Cord Injury. Lee Tempest, SCI Survivor, discusses About Hand Cycling.
A little bit about what a hand cycle is. So it’s a bike that you — it’s kind ...
This is a part of the Hot Topic podcast series from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center on Exercise and Fitness After Spinal Cord Injury. Katie Smith, SCI Survivor, discusses About Wheelchair Rugby.
When I was in rehab, one of the therapists showed me the movie “Murder Ball.” They knew I ...