Pressure sores

What are pressure sores?

Pressure sores are skin damage that is found in people who are forced to spend long times sitting or lying in the same position. The skin is pinched in the places upon which the body rests. The small blood vessels are cut off. If the pressure persists, sensitive red spots, blisters and wounds may develop, for example on the tailbone, the hips, heels and ankles of someone who is left for a long time in the same position. Or on the buttocks of someone who sits in the same position for a long time.

What are the complaints associated with pressure sores?

Skin abnormalities develop in the places on which the body rests for a long time: pressure sores, or bedsores. They start as sensitive, light-red spots in which the redness persists when pressed. The spot gets redder, blisters develop and the skin may be ruptured, causing severe discomfort and pain. An ulcer (a decubitus ulcer) develops. If nothing is done, a wound will develop, and get larger and deeper. A yellow, and later a black, crust forms on the wound. The skin and the underlying tissue (fat, muscles, tendons, bone) are damaged and die off.

How common are pressure sores in the general population?

Pressure sores are mainly seen in the elderly in the general population (65 years of age and older, the number of new cases of pressure sores increases even more with each year above the age of 75). ⁵⁷⁷

In general practice, 0.4% present with pressure sores every year. ³³⁵

The one-year prevalence rate in hospitals is 9.6%, and 6.1% in the chronic care sector. ⁵⁷⁸

How common are pressure sores in people with intellectual disabilities?

It is not known how common pressure sores are in people with intellectual disabilities in the Netherlands.

It was found that 33.5% of people with intellectual disabilities in different care forms in Ireland had sores. ⁵⁷⁹

Furthermore, a study of adolescents with Down syndrome and overweight has shown that they are more likely to have pressure sores. ⁵⁸⁰