Identify Aetiologic Factors Contributing to PU Occurrence

What happens when pressure is applied to the human body?

The harmful effects of pressure are related to:

1. the intensity of pressure and the duration of pressure 
2. tissue tolerance, which is the ability of both the skin and its underlying supporting structures to endure pressure without adverse sequelae.

PU development primarily occurs due to disruption of blood supply (microcirculation) to an area, due to excessive pressure being applied to soft tissues.

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Try to see how long you can sit without moving at all. Most people will not be able to maintain exactly the same position for more than a few minutes at a time. When we sit for any length of time, pressure is put unevenly on our buttocks. Consciously or subconsciously, we recognise that this pressure is making us uncomfortable.  We therefore change our position, redistribute the load and hence relieve the pressure.  For many patients this is not possible.

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