[Survivor35]

Okay, I'm sure this thread has been done before, but I have just ended up with my first pressure spot since injury last year. After evaluating my cushion, I'm sure it needs to be replaced. I now have a jay easy, the first cushion that my father purchased for me. I have heard decent reviews and otherwise on these. I am curious as to whether or not the year I've gotten out of it is a typical life span for cushions, or should I expect more from one?

And, of course needing to buy a new one, I'd love to hear everyones review on different manufactures and syles!!! thanks!

[McRobb]

Survivor35, on Jan 28 2007, 02:43 PM, said:

Okay, I'm sure this thread has been done before, but I have just ended up with my first pressure spot since injury last year. After evaluating my cushion, I'm sure it needs to be replaced. I now have a jay easy, the first cushion that my father purchased for me. I have heard decent reviews and otherwise on these. I am curious as to whether or not the year I've gotten out of it is a typical life span for cushions, or should I expect more from one?

And, of course needing to buy a new one, I'd love to hear everyones review on different manufactures and syles!!! thanks!

I have a Roho cushion that was made to fit my chair. It is inflatable and has lasted me about 3 years now - since my injury. After 6 months, I had to send it in to get a leak fixed but the hospital that I did my rehab at had one that they loaned me for a month.

I have had a few sores since but they usually do well and heal quickly. Good luck.

[Chilepepper]

Over the years I've tried different cushions, but have always gone back to the high profile ROHO cushion. I'm usually sitting up for 16 hours a day or more, so I need a cushion that I can depend on. I'm not saying that it is the miracle cushion because you still have to do your pressure release by lifting your butt off the cushion, but it sure does help in preventing skin break down.

Here is the website that you might want to read so that you can get a better understanding of this cushion.

http://www.therohogroup.com/index.jsp

This post has been edited by Chilepepper: 29 January 2007 - 03:21 AM

[Deej]

Hi

I have had a Jay Active for about 5 years and no problems with it - not needed replacing as yet. You just have to 'pummell' the gel part of it to stop it hardening over time. Easy to keep clean - I have just had to replace the outer covers but the inside 'expensive' part is still fine. So long as you are able to do your pressure lifts regularly I would recommend this cushion.

Good luck with whatever you choose anyway and I hope your sore heals wuickly.

[In The Wind]

Sorry to hear about the sore Survivor.

I’ve had the gel jay cushion, but I think that the ROHO is the best cushion on the market. If properly inflated I don’t know how you could get a sore on one of these. Service is excellent.

[wheeliebear75]

I've had a couple of different kinds. By far so far (4 me @ leas) the best 1 is my newest one. It is a Roho Quatro low profile. I like that it seems to have better airflow to the skin and so that cut down on rashes and such. It is made up of theese tubes, and the air flows through them and gets to your skin. I'm sorry but I'm not explaining it very well. The pic plus my jibberish may help....I hope LOL. The only bad thing about it' s being filled with air is if you have a cat, if so you may want to have a THICK beachtowel over it to help guard against punctures. So far so good knock on wood this one has been about 2yrs. And yup there is a fuzzy pincusion in my life named Oreo....but if he pops my cusion his name will be Mud. As for the sore...sorry to hear it, but it unfortunatly seems to come with the territory. I still remember my DR's explanation of why, "God only intended our butts to be used from time to time....not all the time".
So if you do decide to get a Roho, you can go directly to http://www.quickiewheelchairs.com/;
and from there you can look at diferent ones way cheaper than medical supply places.

Survivor35, on Jan 28 2007, 08:43 PM, said:

Okay, I'm sure this thread has been done before, but I have just ended up with my first pressure spot since injury last year. After evaluating my cushion, I'm sure it needs to be replaced. I now have a jay easy, the first cushion that my father purchased for me. I have heard decent reviews and otherwise on these. I am curious as to whether or not the year I've gotten out of it is a typical life span for cushions, or should I expect more from one?

And, of course needing to buy a new one, I'd love to hear everyones review on different manufactures and syles!!! thanks!

[bgarber]

I used Jay Active cushion's for the first 18+ yrs after my injury with no problems, until my butt got banged transferring on an airplane- giving me a small sore on my cocxyk. I just couldn't get it healed until my wheelchair supplier recommended the Supracor Stimulite contour cushion. It's wonderful- it uses a honeycomb structure and is very easy to throw in the washing machine, keeps my alignment & posture better and is easy on the pressure areas. I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone.

[russ1]

The problem with cushions is that everyone's needs are different. Roho's are usually recommended for people at very high risk of skin problems while your jay easy is towards the other end of the scale (I think) and inbetween there are a large number of cushions in a large number of styles. I use my cushion as a point to lift from when I transfer so a roho is a nightmare and it's usually reckoned to be overkill for paras. IME you feel a bit like a weeble (weebles wobble but they don't fall down) on a roho too. I've never foundthem very stable to sit on.

I have a J2 which I can sit for 18 plus hours and I'm hopeless at remembering to do pressure lifts. I also have a varilite evolution which is much lighter but provides less protection but again I can sit for 18 plus hours without marking (touchwood). However that they work for me is no gaurantee that they'll be apropriate for you.

The other thing you have to remember is that your chair is set up for a specific depth of cushion so changing cushion depth can affect your seated position and your chair may need adjusting to suit.

Cushions should last considerably longer than 1 year though.

Your best bet is to get yourself to a proper seating clinic where they can pressure map your bum on a number of different cushions to give you objective advice on the best cushion to sut your particular posture, weight, shape and skin type.

[itsjustme]

I've been on my RoHo for 2 1/2 years. I am a T2 incomplete and have some sensation in my buttocks so I can feel the numbness and pressure of sitting for hours. On the occasions when I've had to change out my cushions and sit on the gel cushion for a while I can hardly stand it.

My cushion also has 4 adjustable air chambers that can be locked in and or readjusted as needed. I must admit that I never think to do pressure lifts. To date I haven't had any kind of skin issue I would assume because I'm sitting on air rather than a surface.

[RYAN68]

I got one similar to "itsjustme" its called a starlock...basically its a roho, and has the 4 locking air compartments, It doesn't seem as thick as the roho i had on loan from the hospital, But i can sit on it for up to 16hrs a day too

I guess this pad is a pretty new in the industry, or so they told me when I got it

[bdmpastx]

russ1, on Jan 29 2007, 08:27 PM, said:

Your best bet is to get yourself to a proper seating clinic where they can pressure map your bum on a number of different cushions to give you objective advice on the best cushion to sut your particular posture, weight, shape and skin type.

I was just about to suggest that...it is the best way to see what cushions work best for you.

[gsp23]

Also are you looking for an all around cushion or a lighter weight sport cushion? What type of cushions do you like? I tried the different cushions with air chambers and like Russ said, I found them to be too unstable. I tried memory foam and started to get soars so i stay away from them. I like the Span-America Isch-Dish Thin and I wanted to try out the StimuLITE Sport Cushion but my local wheelchair place didnt have that one to try out. But again its all a personal preference. I am able to reposition myself but of course never remember to do it as often as I should.

[percepied]

If you can afford it, check out Aspen Seating, http://www.aspenseating.com/

[Santa Cruz Soul Surfer (LRO)]

I use a Supracore Sport cushion and it has worked great for me thus far....I'm thinking of getting something more suited for everyday use though, as I find myself re-adjusting quite often.

[miss piggy]

Hi my brother-in-law uses a J2 gel cushion and he has never had any problems

[Simon]

Cushions are an individual thing but had a Roho, dual compartment for 23 yrears - no sores!
But must be adjusted correctly to achieve this.
Simon

[mulepower]

I learned firsthand also how important a cushion is,even though it was embredded upon your brain in rehab.Boy,neglection surely can lead to huge dilemmas. I didn't replace my Roho properly when it got punctured so i developed a pelvic osteomyelitis and a stage 4 decubitus ulcer on by bottom that after a year and a half is just about healed. Never again will i neglect my tush again and will stick with a Roho and a backup Roho also. Hope yours gets better soon.

[Captain Pike]

I have a 4 inch Roho pad in my chair. One thing that was really neat about Spaulding rehabilitation Hospital was that they had a sensor that slid between me and the pad while I was seated. The same was connected to a computer, so that a live display of the pressure exerted on my bottom could be seen on the screen. This way, they could inflate/deflate the pad to the pressure that would cause the least pressure on me. You'd be surprised, how deflated the optimum inflation is.

I don't know if they have this device at other hospitals, but it would be worth asking, since doing the procedure only takes a couple of minutes. It could literally save your ass, ha ha.

[cprahl]

4" ROHO saved my life, just wish I found it years ago...