Clinicals

Clinicals

Pressure ulcers are a type of injury that breaks down the skin and underlying tissue. They are caused when an area of skin is placed under pressure. Also known as ‘bedsores’ or ‘pressure sores.’ Pressure ulcers can range in severity from patches of discoloured skin to open wounds that expose the underlying bone or muscle.

​Pressure ulcers can develop when a large amount of pressure is applied to an area of skin over a short period of time. Or, when less pressure is applied over a longer period of time. The extra pressure disrupts the flow of blood through the skin. Without a blood supply, the affected skin becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients and begins to break down, leading to an ulcer forming. Pressure ulcers tend to affect people with health conditions that make it difficult to move, especially those confined to lying in a bed or sitting for prolonged periods of time.