A Functional Fabric for Pressure Ulcer Prevention

Pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores, pressure sores and decubitus ulcers, are localized areas of tissue damage that develop due to pressure usually over a bony prominence. They are associated with adverse health outcomes and high treatment costs. This study focused on developing a functional fabric for pressure ulcer prevention. For this purpose, face-to-face velour weaving technique was utilized to produce a spacer fabric from the different combinations of engineered polyester, polypropylene, cotton and viscose fibers. Thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, thermal absorptivity, water vapor permeability, wicking ability, compressibility and fabric hand properties of the resultant 32 fabrics were examined. Based on the results, channeled polyester, cotton and polypropylene were determined as the most promising fiber types for the final product.