Which is best for pressure relief?

[Mona~on~wheels]

Tilt or Recline?

My new chair has both.
My old one only had recline.

So I have a choice now.
I don't want to hurt my bottom.

Also it has a full back.
My old one was open at the bottom.
How do you protect your lower back/bottom?

[SCI-Nurse]

You need to be careful with the positions that you use and how you use your chair. A PT or OT can help you learn the best pressure relief for you to use by pressure mapping you. I would strongly encourage you to try to get someone to do that for you. It will also show you the best cushion for your pressures.

CKF

[Antonio]

[QUOTE=Mona~on~wheels]Tilt or Recline?

My new chair has both.
My old one only had recline.

So I have a choice now.
I don't want to hurt my bottom. (QUOTE)

Tilt only doesn't unload ischial tuberosities and coccyx - unless you tilt past 50° (I don't know if your chair allows such a big tilt). Recline is effective for unloading ischial tuberosities and coccyx BUT you probably need to be tilted back when reclining, otherwise backrest motions will push you forward and create dangerous shear forces between skin and bony prominences.
Combining tilt and recline is usually very effective in unloading tissues at risk - and resting your body, moving your hips and spine, improve your circulation, ease your breahing...

Antonio

[Mona~on~wheels]

Thanks CKF I'll discuss this with my OT for mapping.

Thankls Antonio tilting 50* doesn't remove pressure from ischels?

What's backrest? back of your chair?

[Antonio]

Thanks CKF I'll discuss this with my OT for mapping.

Thankls Antonio tilting 50* doesn't remove pressure from ischels?

What's backrest? back of your chair?

Yes, 50° of tilt remove pressure from ischials. When you'll do pressure mapping, ask the seating specialist to show you how pressure under your ischials and coccyx change during tilt and recline. You'll learn something useful from this.

Backrest is the back of the chair.

[Mona~on~wheels]

Thanks I will.

It tilts 50%, maybe more.
So I'll tilt.

[lilsister]

We were told that Tilt and Recline are both good but that recline has more shearing. Seems to be some debate about that. Jim has had tilt only for 8 years and no pressure sores, 12-16y hours/day in chair. Either tilt or recline will only be effective if used wisely, like pressure shifting or pressure releases on a manual chair. He was pressure mapped with his cushion, showed only blue and does regular tilts to keep skin in good condition. Nutrition, hydration and positioning also play a role.

[Mona~on~wheels]

Thanks lilsister,
That's why I got tlit on my new w/c.
The recline was shearing my bottom.
So Jim only tilts and no pressure sores.
Great up that long!
I'm gonna have to do that pressure mapping.
Not sure what that is or how it's done.
Thanks!

Mona

[mingo]

After using recliners for 30 years, I finally switched to tilt / recline due to pressure sore issues.

Then the sore started migrating south. I went back to the seating clinic and they said it was a shear issue and asked me how I used my chair. I demoed it (going up) and used the tilt first since it gets you closer to erect faster (at least on my chair) and then followed by raising the reclyner part.

I was told this was ass backwards. When coming up...raise the reclyner first and then raise the tilt. This is showing improvement.

I should have been told in the beginning, but it also makes common sense.

My only gripe is the amount of time it takes to get back up to answer the phone...

[Mona~on~wheels]

Mingo sorry they should have explained it.
I hope you heal fast!

Now I'm confused. They didn't tell me anything.
I just tilt. So you're suppose to do both together?
Which do you do 1st going down? How much?

[Kenny L]

Tilt or Recline?

My new chair has both.
My old one only had recline.

So I have a choice now.
I don't want to hurt my bottom.

Also it has a full back.
My old one was open at the bottom.
How do you protect your lower back/bottom?

Mona, only use tilt for pressure relief, the tilt can cause problems.here's my proof.i used recline and it causes my body to want to oooz out of the chair, i have a roho cushion, since i cant feel this sensation, it pulled apart my bottom right at the crease at the bottom of my cheecks where it meets my leg. well i didnt know at the time what caused the sore, i didnt stop the recline practice, i would stay like that too i admitt like watching a movie reclined seemed comfortable. long story short, i now have a wound 5 cenimeteres deep all the way to the bone and am now sentenced to %100 bed rest, no chair time and will probably take a year to heal so im not a happy camper. so please learn by my screw up to use the tilt funcion for pressure relief only as the tilt function is actually meant for to ease bladder drain when using a foley, atleast thats what im told by the guy that set me up whith my chair. hope this helps.

[SCI-Nurse]

Mona:
Pressure mapping is usually done by a PT. They put sensors underneath many different pressure points to determine how much pressure is really occurring on that area. It is helpful to do so that you know how much pressure is happening and how you can best remove or reduce it. It is a skilled service and is usually covered by third party reimbursement.
Hope that this helps.
CLKF

[Antonio]

Now I'm confused. They didn't tell me anything.
I just tilt. So you're suppose to do both together?
Which do you do 1st going down? How much?

For unloading ischials, doing both tilt and recline is better than doing tilt only .
Remember the sequence:
Going down: begin with tilt, then recline.
Coming up: begin with reversing recline, then reverse tilt.

[Mona~on~wheels]

CKF thanks for explaining
I'll ask my Dr. for a referrel to a PT
That should help alot.

Thanks Antonio
Gotcha! I appreciate you explaining.

Mona

[mingo]

For unloading ischials, doing both tilt and recline is better than doing tilt only .
Remember the sequence:
Going down: begin with tilt, then recline.
Coming up: begin with reversing recline, then reverse tilt.

I agree.
So much stuff learnded the hard way. More than I ever wanted to learn.