The relationship between pressure injuries and dynamic buttock pressure distributions during performance in wheelchair basketball athletes

Objectives Complex actions are thought to be risk factors for pressure injuries (Pis) in wheelchair basketball athletes. However, no study has been conducted on the characteristics of dynamic pressure distributions during performance. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of dynamic pressure distributions and to determine the parameters that relate to Pls in wheelchair basketball athletes. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2017 at the training camp of the national team in Japan. The study participants were 14 elite wheelchair basketball athletes who had joined the training camp. A wound, ostomy and continence nurse (WOCN) and a sonographer evaluated the presence of Pls by inspection and ultrasonography. Pressure distributions under static and dynamic conditions were measured using sheet-type sensors. Results Sixteen Pls were found in five (35.7%) of the 14 participants. Participants with Pls showed distribution of high pressure in unilateral/bilateral ischium and belting regions. In three participants who had Pls on the buttocks, total high-pressure periods were 60.25, 68.33 and 155.16 seconds, respectively. Maximum high-pressure periods were 12.10, 2.53 and 23.53 seconds. The numbers of high-pressure periods were 242, 190 and 706 times. Under dynamic conditions, these parameters were higher than those of participants without Pls. Conclusions Our findings suggested that continuous and/or repetitive high-pressure loading was related to the occurrence of Pls during performance. Further prospective studies are required to establish the methods to predict and prevent Pls in wheelchair basketball athletes.