The Cause of Pressure Sores

A pressure sore is an ulceration caused by excessive pressure being applied to a tissue over an excessive duration. These ulcers are also called decubitus ulcers, bed sores, or pressure ulcers; these names implying that they are caused by lying down too long. Elderly people represent the single largest group likely to suffer from pressure sores. With medical care gradually improving around the world, life expectancies are increasing, which leaves a larger segment of the population susceptible to pressure sores. The skin over the sacral bone is almost without muscle padding. This factor, in combination with the sacral bone having an extremely pointed shape, like that of a spur, causes pressure sores to develop there most often when an individual is positioned in the supine position. Skin, muscle, fat, and eventually bone are all susceptible to developing a pressure sore when they are excessively mechanically deformed over a period of time.