Tips to maintaining skin integrity for wheelchair users
- Completing daily skin inspection checks at prime areas (lower back, buttocks, and hips, back of knees, ankles, and heels).
- Complete weight shifts in your wheelchair every 15-30 minutes and hold for at least 30-90 seconds. (Weight shifts can be completed by leaning forward on arms while resting in lap, leaning towards a side and resting arms on arm rest, or tilting chair backwards if using a power wheelchair.)
- Keep skin clean and dry! Be sure skin in completely dry- check between your toes!
- Make sure to moisturize dry, flaky skin.
- Let your lotion completely dry before getting dressed.
- Wash new clothes before wearing them.
- Wear clothes with more breathable fabric. (Synthetic fabrics are more breathable than natural fabrics)
- Synthetic Fabric- Nylon, Rayon, Acetate, Acrylic, Polyester, Spandex
- Natural Fabric- Cotton, Linen, Wool, Silk
- Avoid clothing that is too tight, or clothing with thick seams, pockets, buttons or rivets
- If you are a full time wheelchair user, it is usually a good idea to wear shoes that are 1-2 sizes larger than your pre-injury shoe size to allow room for swelling.
By: Rachel Coley, OTR/L (not sure she has a headshot)
RWJBH Rehab at Pennington
Rachel is a Senior Occupational Therapist and works at the RWJBH Rehab at Pennington office. She has a special interest in the neurological population and Spinal Cord Injury.