Pressure-reduction products: making appropriate choices

A comparison of the seven most commonly used pressure-reducing products across sacral, trochanter, and heel interface sites was conducted with 15 healthy volunteers. Effects of weight on product were also tested. Products were rank ordered by cost into low-, moderate-, and high-cost groups. A double repeated measures design was used to examine effects of products at interface sites. Mean pressures for all products at the sacral site were acceptably below the guideline. Four of the products had acceptable mean pressure readings at the trochanter site. No product had acceptable readings at the heel site. Significant main effects for product and site were found. A significant interaction between product and site was also found. Weight had no effect, either directly or in interaction with site or product. Moderate-cost products were found to be preferable at sacral and trochanter sites. At the heel site, cost groups did not differ.