Understanding the Link Between Sitting and Pressure Ulcer Risk: New Seating Guidelines
The Society of Tissue Viability has launched the third edition of its Seating Guidelines, spotlighting the often-overlooked connection between prolonged sitting and the development of pressure ulcers. These evidence-based recommendations are designed to help clinicians, caregivers, and patients reduce risk and improve outcomes—especially for adults with limited mobility.
Key Highlights:
- Guideline Launch: The new guidelines were introduced during a free webinar held on 25 June 2025, offering practical tools for health and social care professionals working in hospitals, home settings, and long-term care facilities.
- Scale of the Problem: Pressure ulcers affect over 700,000 people annually in the UK and cost the NHS an estimated £3.8 million per day. Many cases are preventable with proper seating assessment and interventions.
- Seating as a Risk Factor: Prolonged sitting places excessive pressure on high-risk areas such as the sacrum and ischial tuberosities. The updated guidelines explain how these pressure points contribute to tissue damage over time.
- Prevention Strategies: Recommendations include frequent repositioning, daily skin inspections, use of pressure-relieving cushions, good posture, appropriate chair fit, moisture management, and proper nutrition to support skin integrity.
- Collaborative Development: The guidelines were created with input from clinicians, carers, and individuals with lived experience, ensuring the content is accessible, relevant, and grounded in real-world care settings.
This update serves as a critical reminder that seating matters—and that evidence-based positioning and equipment can significantly reduce preventable pressure injuries, particularly in at-risk populations.
Source: Society of Tissue Viability – June 2025
Keywords: pressure ulcers, seating guidelines, pressure management, mobility, caregivers