A survey of protective cushion usage in individuals with spinal cord injury while traveling in a motor vehicle and on a commercial airliner

AbstractObjectiveWhile there are specific recommendations for pressure relieving cushions when seated in a wheelchair, there is a paucity of information regarding prescribed wheelchair cushions for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) when traveling and not in their wheelchair seat. A questionnaire was designed to ascertain if individuals with SCI who are primarily wheelchair users utilize a prescribed wheelchair cushion when traveling in a motor vehicle (MV) or on a commercial airliner, as not utilizing one may be a causative factor in developing pressure ulcers.Design and settingSurvey design in an outpatient SCI rehabilitation setting.ParticipantsFull-time wheelchair users, with chronic (>1 year) SCI.ResultsForty-two participants completed the survey, with a mean age of 39 years old and time post-injury of 10.4 years. All subjects used a prescribed wheelchair cushion when seated in their wheelchair. Twenty-seven subjects reported transferring to a MV seat (59.5% of sample), with 25 (92.6%) reporting n...