Fully contoured seating for the wheelchair-bound patient with neuromuscular disease. Suggestion from the field.

Abstract

Current wheelchair seating does not fully correct or accommodate severe deformity in patients with neuromuscular diseases complicated by spinal curvature.1,2 We developed a custom-molded seating* system that inhibits incipient scoliosis and that fully accommodates established truncal deformity in both coronal and sagittal body planes (Figure). An outrigger can be added for additional stability if the patient or therapist requests it. The patient is first positioned to obtain maximal spinal correction. A vacuum-molding technique, using an aluminum shaping-frame and a latex bag filled with polyethylene beads (based on the concept of the bean-bag chair), provides a template. The mold is used to fabricate both a seamless, vinyl-covered, polyurethane foam-padded seat and a back rest. The cost of the seating assembly is approximately $1,200. The custom-molding system permits control over corrections in seating position through body-chair congruence.…