A STUDY OF PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION EFFECT AND USER SATISFACTION OF A CUSTOMIZED OFF-LOADING CUSHION BASED ON 3D MODELING: A COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL AIR CUSHIONS

Abstract

The study was to compare an off-loading cushion, designed for individuals with spinal cord injury, with air cushion to analyze the effect of pressure on skin injury and user satisfaction. The off-loading cushion can reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers by minimizing the pressure of the ischial tuberosity and coccyx. Because anatomical structures of each participant are different, 3D scanning is used in the customized manufacturing of the cushions. In the 3D modeling, the product is designed so that the ischial tuberosity and coccyx have minimal contact with the cushion’s surface area. The X-sensor was used to confirm the pressure dispersion effect. As a result, maximum pressure of the ischial tuberosity and the coccyx were measured and observed to be lower than that of the air cushion. User satisfaction was compared between two cushions using the QUEST 2.0. The off-loading cushion has slightly higher service and product satisfaction than the air cushion. Based on these findings, this study suggests that off-loading cushions reduce the occurrence of pressure injury compared to air cushions.