A pressure sore (decubitus ulcer) is an area of skin that breaks down when one position is held for too long without shifting the body?s weight. This often happens with long term use of a wheelchair or when a patient is bedridden, even for a short period of time (e.g. after sustaining an injury or having surgery). Pressure sores occur when the constant pressure against the skin reduces blood supply to an area, and the affected tissue dies.

A pressure sore starts as reddened skin but gets progressively worse, forming a blister, then an open sore, and finally a crater. The most common places for pressure sores are over bony prominences (bones close to the skin) like the elbow, heels, hips, ankles, shoulders, back and the back of the head.

These factors increase the risk for pressure ulcers:

• Being bedridden or in a wheelchair

• Fragile skin

• Having a chronic condition, such as diabetes or vascular disease, that prevents areas of the body from receiving proper blood flow

• Inability to move certain parts of your body without assistance, such as after a spinal cord or brain injury

• Malnourishment

• Mental disability from conditions such as Alzheimer's disease - the patient may not be able to properly prevent or treat pressure ulcers

• Older age

• Urinary incontinence or bowel incontinence