Pressure Sore / Ulcer
Body weight can compromise skin and other tissues damaging the blood supply to the area which can lead to tissue damage.
Pressure points over the body vary depending on if you are sitting or lying down.
Shearing
The layers of the skin can slide over one another, this can damage the skin e.g. when you slide down in your chair or bed then push or are pulled back up, this action creates a shearing stress on the skin.
Friction
This can be caused by poor lifting and moving techniques which can remove the top layer of skin causing the risk of developing a pressure ulcer.
Skin breakdown
The commonest forms of skin breakdown include leg ulcers, pressure sore/ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers.
Skin breakdown is often long term, very painful and disabling, increasing social isolation and greatly reducing the quality of life.
