Comfort Wheelchair Cushions / Comfort Gel Seat Cushion & More

Why Are Comfort Wheelchair Cushions Necessary?

Wheelchair cushions were once considered just an accessory, but many people regard them as an absolute necessity these days. Wheelchair cushions are designed to provide the ultimate in comfort. They are a practical item for a wheelchair user who has to sit in a manual wheelchair, power scooter, and even transport chair seat for longer periods of time, since they help the person to avoid bunions, bed sores, and other forms of skin issues when transferring into or out of his wheelchair. 

In transport chairs and manual wheelchairs especially, seat cushions are essential, since they promote healthy circulation. Some are even optimized to help with pain management, and have antimicrobial and antibacterial effects. For wheelchairs that have commode seats, there are even special cushions with commode openings to make things easier on the users as well.

Materials in Comfort Wheelchair Cushions

Cushions can be comfortable; especially those with a gel seat. Some users prefer the simpler materials, and believe it or not, these materials actually often affect both the price and the amount of padding and cushioning support that a user may have. Some types of wheelchair cushions are as follows:

Regular Foam

Foam remains one of the most popular options when it comes to achieving comfort on a budget. This low-cost and lightweight material has been used for years, and offers additional stability while making the wheelchair seat more comfortable.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is a wonderful product with many different possible uses. From pillows to gloves, and of course, comfortable wheelchair cushions, memory foam seems to dominate the market. It deflates and contours to the user’s body, providing a comfortable ‘pocket.’ These cushions will ultimately puff back up and retain their original shape until the next use.

Gel

Gel pads are a little heavier than other wheelchair cushions. Many people purchase these because the gel in comfort cushions helps to allow for even pressure and weight distribution and can even be used to keep a user’s body from getting too warm. Some comfort gel cushions also include a foam base that makes them even more comfortable, much like a gel pillow top mattress. The gel is made of high-grade silicone material, and often a special foam for additional spinal support.

Air

Air cushions come in multiple forms, shapes, and sizes, but are often made from high-quality materials such as plastic, polyurethane, vinyl, and even latex in some models. Air cushions provide additional support, and while some may come pre-inflated, others require inflation in order to provide optimal comfort. There are many styles and designs of regular inflatable cushions as well. They often come with a cover to ensure that they don’t begin to adhere to users who have to sit for long periods of time.

Neoprene

Some special air cushions are made from hospital-grade neoprene. This sturdy and durable manufactured rubber is often used for items like weather stripping on doors, waterproof or shockproof phone covers, scuba gear, gloves, and much more. The material is lightweight, waterproof, and even has fire resistant properties. It features excellent electrical resistance, so that users don’t have to worry about static electricity while using a seat cushion made from this material. The best comfortable wheelchair cushions made of neoprene offer even weight distribution, and have a cover which makes them more sturdy as well.

Honeycombs

Honeycomb foam cushions are specially-designed, form-fitted wheelchair padding made with a small-cell honeycomb pattern. This rubber foam is excellent for absorbing shock, and also provides additional weight distribution for users who need more support than a foam cushion. It is also lighter than memory foam or gel materials.

Alternating Pressure (Foam and Air Hybrid)

Hybrid alternating-pressure wheelchair cushions are usually ergonomically designed, and allow a variety of features to be programmed into them to target specific areas of the user’s body for extra support. To help keep the user from developing bed sores or other problems, these cushions are battery operated and provide variances in firmness that change over certain time intervals. 

You Get What You Pay for When Buying Wheelchair Cushions

One of the key points to notice is that wheelchair cushions that aren’t just basic foam can be exceptionally higher-priced than a regular, standard chair cushion. That is because these are made with not only the user’s comfort in mind, but all of the safety and security features built into them as well. Depending on the material, the entire cushion may be machine washable, or just the cover may be. Overall, however, cheaper wheelchair cushions provide a lot more than your typical retail chair cushion. All of AvaCare Medical’s options range from about $20 all the way up to over $400 for some hybrid style seat cushions.

There are many things you can do in order to completely avoid bed sores and other pains, and we’re proud to help you feel your best by using our wheelchair cushions that are made by top manufacturers all over the country. Should you have questions, concerns, or just need general assistance with your order, give us a call today or send an email our way!