Self-regulating cushion – A quantum leap in pressure ulcer prevention

When Bettina Senft first noticed a skin lesion on her buttocks caused by sitting in a wheelchair, she underestimated the problem. The lesion developed into a pressure ulcer.
After six weeks of lying down, the wound healed. However, a scar remained, which reopened repeatedly in the following years. “Then I had to lie down more again, the wound closed, and after two years it opened up again… It went back and forth for over ten years,” says Bettina Senft. “Until it really hit me in 2023. At that point, it no longer healed conservatively and I had to have surgery.”

A lengthy and expensive condition Around one in three wheelchair users suffers from pressure ulcers at least once. A treatment, typically lasting eight to ten weeks, including surgery, may cost around 100,000 Swiss francs. For those affected, pressure ulcers cause significant discomfort and, due to the long period of bed rest required, represent a major limitation.

An innovative idea Uwe Schonhardt is an occupational therapist at REHAB Basel. His area of expertise is optimizing the sitting position of patients using wheelchairs. He previously worked as a development engineer in mechanical design. Nine years ago, his technical and therapeutic expertise formed the basis for a brilliant idea: a seat cushion that continuously measures and adjusts the pressure distribution on the buttocks so that there is never too much pressure on one area for too long. It would have to work with sensor-controlled air chambers that are inflated and deflated in specific cycles. This should minimize the likelihood of developing pressure sores.

Support from REHAB Basel It is a long road from a brilliant idea to a marketable product. Uwe Schonhardt set out on this journey and received valuable support from REHAB Basel. Chief physician Margret Hund-Georgiadis was convinced of Schonhardt’s idea. The Swiss Paraplegic Foundation also provided financial support. With colleagues who contributed further expertise, Uwe Schonhardt spent seven years developing the pressure relief cushion. Together they founded RELiYOO AG. In 2023, Bettina Senft was able to receive the high-tech cushion as a test subject.

«So much quality of life!» «The biggest comfort offered by the Reliyoo cushion is in your head,» says Senft. «You don’t immediately freak out when you realize: Oh, I’ve been sitting for half an hour longer than planned! The cushion reduces the fear of developing pressure sores.» Under medical supervision, her sitting time is slowly being increased. Senft is approaching her goal of being able to sit for ten hours at a time. She is very excited: «When I imagine being able to sit all day and not having to constantly think about where I can pause to relieve the pressure… – that’s such an improvement in quality of life!» The team at REHAB Basel is also a little proud to have contributed to the development of a product that will make life so much easier for wheelchair users. The market launch of the RELiYOO seat cushion is planned for summer 2025.