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Experienced sitting-related problems and association with personal, lesion and wheelchair characteristics in persons with long-standing paraplegia and tetraplegia.
- Source :
-
Spinal cord [Spinal Cord] 2019 Jul; Vol. 57 (7), pp. 603-613. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Apr 15. - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Study Design: Cross-sectional study.<br />Objectives: To describe experienced sitting-related health and stability problems among persons with paraplegia (PP) or tetraplegia (TP) and to investigate associations with personal, lesion and wheelchair characteristics as well as satisfaction with sitting posture.<br />Setting: Dutch community.<br />Methods: A self-report questionnaire on seating was developed and completed by wheelchair-users living with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) for ≥10 years (N = 264). Sitting-related problems and satisfaction with sitting posture were compared between participants with PP and TP using Chi-square and t-tests. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate associated characteristics.<br />Results: Reported sitting-related problems comprised: sitting to be tiring (regularly to always) (33%), sitting to be painful (28%), pressure ulcers in the last three months (29%), instability while sitting (8%) and instability during reaching (33%). Except for instability during reaching, no differences in occurrence of sitting-problems were found between lesion-group. Persons with TP were more dissatisfied with their sitting posture than persons with PP: 51% vs 36% (p = 0.022) and 51% and 47% respectively thought their sitting posture could be improved (p = 0.670). 'Experienced lack of support in the wheelchair' was associated with most sitting-problems. Pain and instability were associated with dissatisfaction with sitting posture.<br />Conclusion: Sitting-related problems and dissatisfaction with sitting posture were frequently reported by persons with long-standing SCI. Sitting problems appeared to associate with lacking support in the wheelchair/seating. A comprehensive feedback from the wheelchair user and a stability check (reach task), as part of the wheelchair/seating-user fitting, may contribute to prevention of sitting-related problems.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1476-5624
- Volume :
- 57
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Spinal cord
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30988398
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-019-0272-6