Visual Inspections of Wheelchair Cushions after Everyday Use

Abstract

The objective of this project was to document the state of wheelchair cushions after everyday use by identifying signs of wear, fatigue, and failure. Visual inspection was done on 202 wheelchair cushions with average and median ages of 2.7 and 2 years, respectively. Most cushions were deemed to be “clean” and the proportion did not change across age groups. A high proportion of cushion covers showed signs of wear with damage to fabric and seams being most prevalent. Foam cushions showed more signs of wear than viscous fluid or air cushions. More than 60% of foam cushions showed signs of permanent deformation, and in nearly half, the foam exhibited granulation or brittleness. About 15% of the bladders used in viscous fluid or air cushions exhibited cracks or breaks in the material. In conclusion, a visual inspection of wheelchair cushions showed that most cushions appeared clean and were in good repair over a wide range of ages and usage patterns. While documenting signs of wear after use can help inform interventions and monitoring, research is needed to document changes in performance of wheelchair cushions overtime as a means to develop better replacement strategies.