Summary
Posture control may be required for a number of reasons but must begin with the positioning and stabilisation of the pelvis. Support to supplement hypotonic trunk muscles is often achieved by harnessing, which may be fitted with padding to distribute the forces applied by the harness. If corrective forces need to be applied, then the modifications become more comprehensive and the direction of application of the forces is important. Some wheelchairs have lateral support pads built in, and a system that may be fitted retrospectively to most standard wheelchairs is currently under development. Foam-padded timber inserts can be provided to give a reasonable degree of posture control, while intimately moulded seat shells give the maximum correction and support possible with a seating system. The useful life of an intimately moulded seat shell will be limited if the patient is growing or the deformity is changing rapidly. The maximum degree of posture control may be provided by a combination of these seating systems and a spinal orthosis. Whenever modifications are carried out to wheelchairs, it is important to check the safety and stability of the final product in use.
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© 1983 Roy L. Nelham
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Nelham, R.L. (1983). Special modifications to chairs for posture control. In: Barbenel, J.C., Forbes, C.D., Lowe, G.D.O. (eds) Pressure Sores. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-81351-3_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-81351-3_4
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