Orthopedic seat shells are used for wheelchair-like bases or wheelchairs, among other applications. They are available in standard designs, as well as custom-made, because the primary goal of an orthopedic seat shell is to provide the most supportive, comfortable and secure fit and support for the patient.
What is an orthopedic seat shell?
Seat shells serve an overarching purpose of securing a person’s seat or support in wheelchairs and the like, and making it as comfortable as possible. Seat shells serve an overarching purpose of securing a person’s seat or support in wheelchairs and the like and making it as comfortable as possible. Two familiar versions of the seat shell from everyday life are the seat or also recliner, which can be found in strollers or child seats for cars. These are also primarily used to ensure that the child placed in the stroller or vehicle sits in it as safely and yet also as comfortably as possible. The seat and recliner shells found in more mundane items like strollers are also fundamentally made to orthopedic standards. Nevertheless, they often differ more than minimally from actual orthopedic seat shells. In wheelchairs and the like, there is often the additional problem that the person usually sits or lies in them for several hours or even permanently. So that this does not have a negative effect on the posture, bones, joints, muscles and more, the seat shell is demanded a lot. For this reason, seat shells in such cases are always orthopedic and custom-made by a professional. Orthopedic seat shells that are standardized are rarely available, and if they are, then for limited areas of application. For example, when a wheelchair is only needed occasionally or for a limited period of time. This may be the case, for example, after an injury and during the healing phase.
Forms, types and styles
Most orthopedic seating shells are made to measure. For this reason, there are certain forms, types and kinds only conditionally, since all fabrications differ from each other. In addition, making an orthopedic seat shell requires experience and expertise that experts demonstrate, often working with doctors and medical supply stores. After all, a seat shell should ensure that the patient is always as mobile as possible in every medical case, no matter how individual it may be. To this end, the seat shell is always adapted as precisely as possible to the patient’s body, his or her health condition and the need for use. However, a distinction is made between seating and reclining shells, whose features can in many cases be combined to form a seating-reclining shell or other designs for the benefit of the patient. In addition, there are seat shells that are permanently adapted to a specific base frame. Likewise, however, there are also models that are mounted on several frames or can even be pushed across the floor independently thanks to integrated castors. Seat shells also differ in their materials and construction. Various types of soft foam and upholstery can be used, which are covered with different materials. These can, for example, be particularly pliable, water-repellent or rather firm, depending on the area of use. In addition, the materials can also determine whether the seat shell is later waterproof or suitable for special outdoor activities.
Structure and mode of operation
Even with an orthopedic design, the seat shell usually consists of a basic framework, which, depending on the design of the shell, size and weight, is made of hardened plastic, for example. This is normally padded by a vacuum impression of the patient using modern soft foam technology. This allows the shell to be very precisely adapted in its supporting or supportive properties to the patient’s physical and health needs. However, almost every orthopedic seat shell is also always manufactured in such a way that its shape is fully adapted to the body, so that the body weight is not distributed over one or specific areas, but instead over as large an area as possible. This is intended to prevent pressure peaks, among other things, but also posture damage.In addition, the seat shell can also support the patient’s independence through its shape and composition – for example, by making it easier for him to get in and out of the wheelchair independently. Furthermore, seat shells can be manufactured in several parts so that they can be extended with other parts, for example, and thus easily adapted to other needs or subframes at any time.
Medical and health benefits
The primary goal of a suitable orthopedic seat shell is to ensure that the patient still remains as mobile as possible, and as comfortable as possible, despite physical limitations. Pressure points, postural damage and excessive stress on bones, muscles and joints, due to sitting and lying down for long periods of time or even permanently, should be avoided by an orthopedic seat shell. However, an orthopedic seat shell must also combine many aspects: among others, the right level of safety, comfort, ergonomics and mobility. For this reason, both seating and reclining shells should be tilt-resistant, maneuverable and adjustable in height. In this way, they make everyday life easier for the physically impaired person and help him and his relatives to cope with it in the best possible way and with little risk.
