How Adjustability Could Alter the Landscape
If seating philosophies can be generally described as accommodating
or intervening, then adjustability could offer another option.
Symmetric Designs’ Free
Form Seating.
“Adjustability plays a huge role in both intervention and accommodation
seating methods,” says Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS, CHAS Group
Health Care Corp. “With seating that is accommodating, adjustability is
beneficial when changes occur as a result
of any new onset of medical complications,
such as skin breakdown, amputations or
pain. Seating systems that are intervening
have to be adjustable in order to change as
the positioning goals are being achieved.
With children, growth is an important factor,
whether the seating system is accommodating
or intervening.”
Systems by Matrix Seating USA and
Symmetric Designs potentially give clinicians
and ATPs more options by offering adjustability
that’s available when needed. Those systems can accommodate,
for example, existing kyphosis, but can also be constructed to gradually
intervene to correct a postural issue or offer increased support.
The systems also accommodate tone by “giving” when spasticity is
present while still providing stability and support.
Matrix Seating USA’s custom
back.
“Accommodation enables a client to be comfortable in their current
state,” says Greg Sims, ATP, CEO of Matrix Seating USA. “However, clients
can grow, and weight can fluctuate.
Adjustability enables the client’s seat to
continue to accommodate them appropriately
until their insurance utilization enables
them to purchase a new seat, if necessary.
Adjustability is a crucial element in intervention,
and ultimately correction, because
it allows for incremental changes that can
be tolerated by the client and achieve the
desired results. In order for intervention
and or correction to be successful, a client’s
skin integrity and pain should be carefully
managed. The more ‘fixed’ a client is, the more incremental the changes
need to be to eliminate pain and skin breakdown.”
This article originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Mobility Management.