Resource Review: Seating Sources to Turn To

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Oct 23, 2019

Whether you’re new to the complex rehab seating world, or a veteran clinician or ATP looking to brainstorm about a particularly challenging situation, the Web can be a library you can turn to for inspiration 24/7. Check out the following resources from peers who know their positioning.

• ISS 2019 Webinars: The University of Pittsburgh hosted the 2019 International Seating Symposium on its home turf; view Webinars from that event for free, even if you didn’t attend the conference. Go to https://tinyurl.com/isspitt2019 to learn about topics ranging from head positioning to the effects of cushion setup and posture on tissue deformation.

• Permobil Academy: Go to permobilus.com>Education>Permobil Academy. You’ll find on-demand Webinars, blog posts, and illustrated Guides on topics such as Wheelchair Seating & Positioning Guide for LTC [Long-Term Care]. Under Blogs, click on Wheelchair Seating for posts such as “The Importance of Seat-to-Back Angle in Pressure Redistribution.”

• Sunrise Medical’s Education in Motion: Go to www.sunrisemedical.com/resources/education-in-motion. Read blog posts such as “Tips for Selecting Prefabricated Wheelchair Backs.” Don’t miss “Seating Shapes” under the Resource Updates section; via illustrations, this article shows, for instance, what can happen if a backrest provides a client with too little posterior thoracic support or too much. Illustrations of side views and views from the back further demonstrate what these problematic “shapes” can look like.

• Seating Dynamics: If you’re not getting the free “Always in Motion” newsletter — great title for an educational bulletin from a seating manufacturer known for its dynamic seating components — sign up at www.seatingdynamics.com. Recent entries include “Dynamic Seating for Persons with Spinal Cord Injury” and video on “Evaluation, Simulation and Dynamic Seating Trials,” which features Michelle Lange, OTR/L, ABDA, ATP/SMS, demonstrating how dynamic seating can work with wheelchair clients.

• EasyStand’s Funding Guide: Standing isn’t seating, but it’s absolutely a critical positioning option! Go to https://easystand.com/funding-guide/ to find help with the standing assessment and documentation process, from who should be on the evaluation team (and what their roles are), to coding and writing that all-important Letter of Medical Necessity. Plus, you can refresh your memory regarding the many benefits of standing for mind and body.