SURFACE PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION OF THE HUMAN-BODY IN THE RECUMBENT POSITION

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (9) , 409-413
Abstract
Surface pressure measurements of human body weight as distributed on 4 different commercial beds were examined. Water-filled bladders (65) connected to pressure transducers were employed to measure the pressure distribution patterns of the human body. These pressure measuring bladders were distributed on a sheet shaped to conform to the human figure and then placed on 5 different surfaces, including an orthopedic 720 coil mattress and box spring, a standard 500 coil bed, a standard 10 in deep waterbed, a hybrid bed composed of a central water core surrounded by polyurethane and the floor. Subjects were tested in a supine and prone position on the various surfaces after the pressure measuring sheet was interposed. A more uniform pressure distribution was demonstrated over the entire body of the waterbed and the orthopedic bed than on any of the other surfaces. The softer (500 coil) bed, the hybrid bed and the floor supported the body essentially on only 5 points (occiput, shoulders, buttocks, calves and heels) in the supine position. The water and orthopedic beds differed markedly, having more uniform and equally distributed surface pressures. The skin pressures measured over the bony prominences were significantly greater than the critical value for ischemia (30 mm Hg) and enhanced the development of decubiti, particularly in the beds which poorly distribute body weight.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: