Wheelchair Cushion Design

Cushion design and engineering has made it possible for people to spend full days being active using a wheelchair. Choosing the right one is key to comfort, support, and safety.

Although your wheelchair and cushion are separate purchases, which chair you choose is significantly affected by the type of cushion you will use. Chair and cushion are a team, each influencing the other. The proper combination of chair and cushion will enable you to sit in a neutral and stable posture and to operate the chair safely and use your energy efficiently.

Wheelchair cushions come in various depths and sizes which need to be accommodated by the size of your wheelchair frame. The actual length of footrests, the height of the chair back, the position of armrests, and other features are influenced by how high or low you will be sitting on a cushion. Clearly, you need to decide which cushion is best for you before you can make a final decision about which chair is best, certainly before you specify the exact dimensions of your chair.

Wheelchair cushion development is quite lively, as designers and engineers continue the quest for the ideal cushion. A number of manufacturers, such as Jay and Roho cushions, exist solely for the design and production of seating and support systems for wheelchairs. Most of the major wheelchair makers, including Everest & Jennings, Invacare/Pindot, and Otto Bock Rehab also offer an assortment of cushions.

Cushion design is by no means a simple topic, and there are many choices to make as you decide on the right one for you. There are four basic types of cushions—foam, gel, air floatation, and urethane honeycomb—as well as designs and systems for those with advanced needs.

What kind of cushion you choose will depend on a variety of factors, including how much time you spend in your chair, how much you move around in your chair, and how stable your posture is.

One important task of the wheelchair cushion is the prevention of pressure sores. Given how long many wheelchair users sit, and the reality of posterior muscle atrophy for spinal-cord injuries and other disabilities, pressure ulcers are a real and serious danger. The cushion is a primary tool for pressure sore management.

The other crucial task for a cushion is postural stability. Even if you are able to walk or are an amputee with sufficient built-in cushioning, the right cushion helps to support your spine. If you already have some asymmetry in your body, you need to be supported in a way that will not increase any spinal deformity. For manual chair users, greater stability in your chair also means you can push the wheels with more confidence and strength.

It can't be repeated often enough—posture is key. Bob Hall of New Hall's Wheels puts it well:

The wrong seating system leads to poor posture which leads to physical problems which leads to becoming more sedentary which leads to a negative emotional and personal experience. It's a dangerous chain of events.