Ride Designs cushions post- flap surgery

[ejl10]

Hello all,

I'm a C5 / C6 incomplete about 14 months out from my injury, and trying to nail down the details for my first manual chair. Unfortunately, I was dumb enough to get myself a nasty pressure sore shortly after discharging last year, and it led to flap surgery early this year. As a result, I've been put on a Roho cushion, but I don't really like the fact that it's so mushy and hard to transfer on and off of / adjust positions on. It almost feels like it's pretty good for everyone, but not great for anyone. A friend advised me to look at Ride Designs cushions, and from what I read I like what I see. However, I'm nervous that with post- flap surgery they wouldn't be as ideal as they would be in a more preventive situation. Does anyone else in this situation use a Ride Designs cushion? Would it be wise to look at something like the Java, which looks like it would be ideal for transfers, or do you think one of the custom cushions be a necessity given the damage I've already done? Obviously, this is all dependent on pressure mapping!

Thank you all!
Emmett

[endo_aftermath]

If those are your only complaints about the Roho, you might consider looking into the Roho Hybrid Elite. It has the standard Roho air cells for the back half, but rigid foam for the front half, contoured to fit the back of your legs. So when you're doing a transfer, your hand gets to push off of a very solid surface but the parts of you where we are normally concerned about pressure sores are supported by the air cells. I used a Roho Hybrid Elite for 8 years until I switched to a Ride Designs Java to offer better alignment of my lower spine which had developed some scoliosis. The ride design seat is excellent at off-loading your sit bones and coccyx. Basically you're sitting in a hole so those areas get no pressure at all. So depending on where your skin breakdown was, the Ride Designs seat might be a good fit for you. My only complaint with it is that, because I'm sitting in a hole, it's more difficult to scoot forward the little bit in preparation for a transfer or to cath. That's a pretty minor complaint.

[Lavender lady]

I love my roho elite been on it 5 years, had small leak last week so had to use a different roho. Ugg realized I needed to get a replacement for the air cell part so if anything happens to this one I have a backup.

[Brad09]

I also went from a Roho hybrid elite to a Ride Design Java cushion because of a pressure sore. Just be aware on Ride cushions that because your butt bones float, the pressure is redistributed, and in my case to the hip bones (trochanters). That being said, I haven't had any issues with my skin in these areas, I just make sure to check them often. I have no complaints about the Java cushion. It will be on my next chair too.

[August West]

I use a Ride Custom for hip obliquity. I like it for much more. It stays cool. No pressure sores. It's light and simple which makes it easy to move, wash, put in the car. It holds you in a fixed position. Which is great but can be challenging for transfers. Mostly it's good. The fitting is very important. One thing to pay attention to is the height. They tend to be on the taller side. That means that you may have to lower your wheelchair height or else you could hurt your shoulders from sitting too high. If you don't have an adjustable chair, then you may have a problem.

I use a shedding blade and/or an electric carving knife (like the ones you use for Thanksgiving turkeys) to modify them. I've cut mine around the front to lower it for easier transfers. But I wouldn't cut the part that I sit in. Ride could. They can always trim it after it's made.

[ejl10]

If those are your only complaints about the Roho, you might consider looking into the Roho Hybrid Elite. It has the standard Roho air cells for the back half, but rigid foam for the front half, contoured to fit the back of your legs. So when you're doing a transfer, your hand gets to push off of a very solid surface but the parts of you where we are normally concerned about pressure sores are supported by the air cells. I used a Roho Hybrid Elite for 8 years until I switched to a Ride Designs Java to offer better alignment of my lower spine which had developed some scoliosis. The ride design seat is excellent at off-loading your sit bones and coccyx. Basically you're sitting in a hole so those areas get no pressure at all. So depending on where your skin breakdown was, the Ride Designs seat might be a good fit for you. My only complaint with it is that, because I'm sitting in a hole, it's more difficult to scoot forward the little bit in preparation for a transfer or to cath. That's a pretty minor complaint.

Great insights. Thanks so much! Certainly, I'm also concerned about Rohos because the ourselves might pop and I wouldn't know what to do at that point. Similarly, I've heard warnings from friends about Roho scoliosis and would like to avoid that. That said, I just received a new power chair from my insurance and it came with a Roho hybrid, which seems okay for the time being. But I'm still curious about the Java when I get my manual chair next. My pressure sore was on my left sit bone, which should have good coverage from the Java. That said, I got flap surgery and I'm not sure how well I need to protect the rest of my cheek at this point.

[ejl10]

I love my roho elite been on it 5 years, had small leak last week so had to use a different roho. Ugg realized I needed to get a replacement for the air cell part so if anything happens to this one I have a backup.

This is definitely something I'm concerned about. I'm not sure what I would do in that situation!

[ejl10]

I also went from a Roho hybrid elite to a Ride Design Java cushion because of a pressure sore. Just be aware on Ride cushions that because your butt bones float, the pressure is redistributed, and in my case to the hip bones (trochanters). That being said, I haven't had any issues with my skin in these areas, I just make sure to check them often. I have no complaints about the Java cushion. It will be on my next chair too.

Great to hear! Thanks for sharing that, I'm leaning towards doing the same.

[ejl10]

I use a Ride Custom for hip obliquity. I like it for much more. It stays cool. No pressure sores. It's light and simple which makes it easy to move, wash, put in the car. It holds you in a fixed position. Which is great but can be challenging for transfers. Mostly it's good. The fitting is very important. One thing to pay attention to is the height. They tend to be on the taller side. That means that you may have to lower your wheelchair height or else you could hurt your shoulders from sitting too high. If you don't have an adjustable chair, then you may have a problem.

I use a shedding blade and/or an electric carving knife (like the ones you use for Thanksgiving turkeys) to modify them. I've cut mine around the front to lower it for easier transfers. But I wouldn't cut the part that I sit in. Ride could. They can always trim it after it's made.

Oh man, as a relatively new quad I'm not sure I'm up to this kind of equipment surgery just yet! My transfers aren't as strong as they could be just yet, so thanks for your perspective as it should be a real consideration.

[August West]

If your chair doesn't have adjustable height, it's best to get the Ride Custom cushion with a new chair. Also make sure to instruct them to make the nominal sitting height at the middle of the height range so you have the most adjustability up and down.

[ejl10]

If your chair doesn't have adjustable height, it's best to get the Ride Custom cushion with a new chair. Also make sure to instruct them to make the nominal sitting height at the middle of the height range so you have the most adjustability up and down.

Your custom cushion has adjustable height? I didn't realize that - I actually thought that it was just really tall based on the photos I've seen. Fortunately, I will have a fully adjustable chair, as I'm pretty focused at this point on a TRA. Thanks for the tip!

[McDuff]

Huh, I missed this thread originally.

I have had multiple flaps and have been on a hi-pro quad Roho for over a decade, decided it was time for a change. I got mapped on both the Roho and Ride Java, the Roho showed "almost" red under my isch's no matter the setting, which I knew as this is how it was the last time I was mapped, but back then didn't really have another option.

The Java showed blue under them, as of course there is no pressure there, yay! Yes the surrounding areas "pick up the slack" pressure but they were all blue/green for me. I alternated between the two for a long few weeks as I was getting used to it, and now I use the Java exclusively.

*an aside; as I was in the switchover time, I occasionally developed a straight-line bruise at the top of my sacral area, it would open up, and I would have to heal it up and even visit the wound Doc. I thought it was from the Java, as it was right where the back of the cushion rests on my butt, so I would go back to Roho. Rinse and repeat a couple times. I was baffled because my routine didn't change at all, and this was sporadic. Long story short, it was not the Java, it was the padding I used to use at night on my bed, they had changed the folding of it and if I didn't be careful it would have a fold right where the bruise formed. So be wary of any and all possibilities.

The Java sits you a little taller than the Roho for sure, I put it on my same chair and haven't needed to change anything, is a little tougher picking things up off the floor, but doable for me. Transfers take a little getting used to, as you do sit in the Java a little more, and the sides don't collapse like a Roho, but like all the crap we have to do, you'll get used to it.

I am glad I have switched, my skin looks best it has in a long time.

[ejl10]

Huh, I missed this thread originally.

I have had multiple flaps and have been on a hi-pro quad Roho for over a decade, decided it was time for a change. I got mapped on both the Roho and Ride Java, the Roho showed "almost" red under my isch's no matter the setting, which I knew as this is how it was the last time I was mapped, but back then didn't really have another option.

The Java showed blue under them, as of course there is no pressure there, yay! Yes the surrounding areas "pick up the slack" pressure but they were all blue/green for me. I alternated between the two for a long few weeks as I was getting used to it, and now I use the Java exclusively.

*an aside; as I was in the switchover time, I occasionally developed a straight-line bruise at the top of my sacral area, it would open up, and I would have to heal it up and even visit the wound Doc. I thought it was from the Java, as it was right where the back of the cushion rests on my butt, so I would go back to Roho. Rinse and repeat a couple times. I was baffled because my routine didn't change at all, and this was sporadic. Long story short, it was not the Java, it was the padding I used to use at night on my bed, they had changed the folding of it and if I didn't be careful it would have a fold right where the bruise formed. So be wary of any and all possibilities.

The Java sits you a little taller than the Roho for sure, I put it on my same chair and haven't needed to change anything, is a little tougher picking things up off the floor, but doable for me. Transfers take a little getting used to, as you do sit in the Java a little more, and the sides don't collapse like a Roho, but like all the crap we have to do, you'll get used to it.

I am glad I have switched, my skin looks best it has in a long time.

Wow, thank you for sharing your experience and support for the Java!