Why is it important to know about pressure injuries?
Author: SCIRE Community Team | Reviewer: Susan Andrews | Published: 3 November 2017 | Updated: ~
Pressure injuries are common
Pressure injuries are common after SCI. They can affect as many as one third of people with SCI each year and almost every person with an SCI experiences at least one pressure injury in their lifetime. The risk of pressure injuries increases over time when living with an SCI long-term.
Pressure injuries can have serious consequences
Pressure injuries can have serious consequences for health, function, and quality of life, including:
- Difficult and lengthy healing
- Infections, including severe infections that lead to a life-threatening condition called sepsis
- Long and costly hospital stays and re-hospitalizations
- Reduced independence and mobility during healing
- Inability to participate in work and school during healing
- Reduced life satisfaction and quality of life
- A greater need for assistance from caregivers and family during healing
Prevention is essential to reduce risk
The best management for pressure injuries is prevention. In fact, many pressure injuries are preventable through a combination of good self-care, staying healthy, and regular check-ins with your health team. It is essential to learn how to recognize, prevent, and treat pressure injuries as soon as possible after SCI to help reduce your risk.
Find out what advice Josh has on pressure sores and routines you can follow to avoid them.