Physiotherapy for Pressure Sore

Physiotherapy for Pressure Sore: Pressure sore is a term for describing any pressure injury, which may vary from an area of erythema to a deep-seated ulceration exposing the underlying bone. It can start at any age, but is more common among the elderly. Both genders can be affected and often found in pressure areas such as buttocks, hips, elbows, and heels. Patients with neurological disorders, e.,g paraplegia and Parkinson’s disease, are commonly affected more.

Causes Of Pressure Sore

1. External factors: Prolonged and constant pressure causes a deficiency of blood supply, which can lead to tissue damage. The damage will depend on the amount and type of pressure, shear, or friction. In shear pressure, the skin remains stationary and the underlying tissues are moved forward, destroying the circulation, but in friction, the skin surface moves over the bed surface, causing a superficial abrasion.

Pressure sores can occur as a result of immobility of the patients due to:

1. Prolonged rest.

2. Post-operative pain.

3. Loss of sensation where the patient does not feel pain.

4. Immobility in a plaster of Paris.

5. Unconsciousness.

2. Pressure Sores can occur as a result of Internal factors. These are:

1. Weak or wasted muscle bulk causes poor protection for the underlying tissues.

2. Diabetes may lead to trophic ulcers.

3. Illnesses reduce the nutritional state of the body.

4. Bony prominence, e.g, sacrum or greater trochanter, causes pressure to build up internally.

5. Incontinence results in skin breakdown due to moisture.

Clinical Features

There is an open area of varying size on a pressure site. The floor of the sore may be pink and vascular or filled with infected exudate. The cavity may be shallow or deep, with a loss of subcutaneous tissue and  exposure of bones.

Physiotherapy for pressure Sores aims at relieving pressure and preventing breakdown of skin. Pressure sores, if left unattended to at the first stage, it can worsen and move to stage two or three, where serious medical attention and nursing will be needed. Therefore, it is important to start physiotherapy intervention early by engaging the muscles concerned in active movement. This can be achieved through the following:

1. Active exercises that are engaging to encourage mobility in bed and walking, assisted as soon as possible

2. Relaxed passive movement to paralysed limbs to aid circulation and prevent contractures, which might produce pressure sores.

3. Exercise for strengthening muscles to enable patients to lift himself/ herself in bed or a chair for pressure relief.

5. Ice massage over a reddened area for a few minutes reduces oedema, thereby preventing tissue breakdown.

Are you suffering from pressure sores or having someone going through such pains, and you are desperately looking for a reliable physiotherapy clinic to get better treatment ? Search no more, locate Effective Physiotherapy & Fitness Clinic.

Address: No 2 Ajumgobia F.I.A close, Behind Upland Mall, Opposite Conoil Filling Station Kado Estate Abuja. Phone number: +234 803 436 5055 or +234 811 885 6060

Website: www.effectivephysio.com
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