What is interface pressure?

Author

Fay, Brian T. ; Brienza, David A.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Rehabilitation Sci. & Technol., Pittsburgh Univ., PA, USA

Volume

3

fYear

2000

fDate

2000

Firstpage

2254

Abstract

The term interface pressure (IP) is used widely in the area of wheelchair seating to describe the physical interaction between the buttocks and the seat surface. Methods of quantifying IP exist even though a formal, research-based definition does not exist. Using a previously proposed definition of IP, issues surrounding the definition are examined relative to research studies to show weaknesses in the definition. Additional concerns relative to current methods of quantifying IF, such as creep and hysteresis, are evaluated. Two alternative methods of considering the seating interface are presented. One involves standardization of IP measurement via an index whereas the other discards IP in favor of quantifying tissue deformation. It is concluded that a new method of considering the seating interface is required which allows for comparison between measurements and individuals

Keywords

biomechanics; creep; handicapped aids; hysteresis; pressure measurement; buttocks; index; interface pressure; measurement standardization; seat surface; seating biomechanics; tissue deformation quantification; wheelchair seating;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2000. Proceedings of the 22nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE

Conference_Location

Chicago, IL

ISSN

1094-687X

Print_ISBN

0-7803-6465-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2000.900588

Filename

900588