What is a pressure area?
Areas of skin that have been subject to unrelieved, repeated or prolonged pressure are pressure areas.
Pressure areas are the result of continual pressure on a localised or specific part of the body. They occur when skin is compressed, dragged or rubbed against skin or another type of surface, for example, bedding, clothing, footwear or equipment.
Pressure areas occur when soft tissue is compressed between a bony area and an external surface for periods of time. When pressure is applied to a localised area of tissue for extended periods of time, cell destruction and tissue death can occur and a pressure ulcer develops.
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When can pressure areas occur? Click one of the items in the list below:
When skin is compressed
When skin is dragged
When skin is rubbed
All of the above