Written by Mike Price, OT
Wheelchair cushions are specifically designed to help wheelchair users position themselves more comfortably when seated. Available in a variety of materials and nearly any shape and thickness, gel wheelchair cushions reduce the risk of pressure ulcers and skin breakdown while encouraging proper body positioning and posture control!
 | 1) Elements Gel Wheelchair Cushion by Comfort Company View Product |
For people who spend all or most of their day in a wheelchair, comfort and skin integrity are among the biggest concerns.
Sitting comfortably not only makes daily life more pleasant; it improves posture, supports good body mechanics, and prevents muscle aches, strains, and further deterioration of bones and muscles.
Clearly, the surface on which a person sits is of prime importance. Without the proper padding and support, pressure sores are likely to develop or get worse, and chronic pain can develop as a result of poor posture and constant pressure on joints.
To prevent all these issues, selecting the right cushion for you or your loved one’s wheelchair is crucial. There are many different kinds of cushions out there, all suited for different needs. One of the most popular types is the gel cushion.
Gel wheelchair cushions are sturdy enough to be used throughout the day, and provide superior comfort and support.
One advantage of gel cushions is that they will conform to the shape of the user’s body. This prevents pressure sores and protects delicate skin.
A gel cushion can also help stabilize a user’s seating position, by providing the stability and support that atrophied muscles can no longer provide to bones and joints. It takes pressure off the spine, encouraging good posture.
Some gel cushions come with supplemental adduction or abduction inserts. These can help stabilize the user’s legs and overall posture even more securely.
Who doesn’t like a little bang for their buck? Being on a budget shouldn’t mean you have to settle for less!
With that in mind, Rehabmart has chosen the Econo Gel Cushion as not only the best value in the Gel cushion category, but also the best value for a wheelchair cushion overall! It combines all the components you want in a gel cushion at a price that just can’t be beaten.
The Econo Gel cushion by Skil-Care is a hybrid model that provides the best possible support to those who may have (or may be at risk of) pressure ulcers. With a gel insert tucked inside a shell of high-density foam, this cushion provides stability and aids in good posture without skimping on comfort.
Bony prominences, such as the tail and sit bones, can be especially vulnerable to pressure and discomfort when sitting long-term. The firm but contouring gel-foam structure of the Econo-Gel helps prevent or relieve the most common causes of hip pain.
Safety ties prevent this cushion from sliding during use. And, the included cover is super-soft, water resistant, and easy to clean by hand.
Priced affordably, this cushion is a fantastic value that does everything a wheelchair cushion should do: stabilize, provide comfort, protect bony areas, and prevent sores.
Our testers rated The Comfort Company’s Saddle Wheelchair Cushions as the Most Advanced in the Gel cushion category. These cushions go a step beyond to provide comfort and accommodate specific positioning needs.
This cushion by Comfort Company is constructed to avoid pressure, regulate temperature, and promote healthy posture.
Saddle Cushions are constructed of a double layer of high-resiliency foam and include several unique positioning features.
A coccyx cutout relieves pressure on the tailbone. Deep lateral and medial contours prevent the pelvis from rotating and help align the spine, encouraging upright posture.
The “waterfall” front takes pressure off the legs, and optional quadragel insert packs offer additional pressure relief and regulate temperature.
Overall, these cushions relieve pressure on bony prominences, prevent pressure sores, and are easy on already existing sores, and make it comfortable to sit in a wheelchair all day long.
These cushions are available in three positioning options:
As with all Comfort Company cushions, you also have a choice between two cover fabrics, each comfortable and easy to clean by hand.
Nowadays, traveling has become one of the most preferred activities for people of all ages and abilities. The world is open to everyone willing to discover it no matter the circumstances. For wheelchair users, the accessibility of renting one at their destinations is greater than ever, however, using those available might not be as comfortable as your daily wheelchair. Luckily, the Wheelchair Cushion - Deluxe Gel by RehabMart is the perfect companion to make every wheelchair your favorite wheelchair. Its compact design and lightweight features make it perfect for trips. Furthermore, its universal design and premium gel thickness will suit the most common wheelchairs. This wheelchair cushion helps you get the most out of your trip.
The Wheelchair Cushion - Deluxe Gel by RehabMart is designed to comfortably fit any body shape through its smart-gel support that takes and distributes the weight around its cells to ensure the user a pleasant experience. You can avoid dealing with pain points caused by long hours of sitting thanks to its advanced support technology that relieves the pressure and provides a soft rest.
To be ready to support you in daily activities, this top gel wheelchair cushion comes with a resistant cover that's also quickly removable for easy cleaning. No more carrying uncomfortable stains with you. The Wheelchair Cushion - Deluxe Gel by RehabMart features smart-gel technology that ensures long-lasting benefits and an effortless adaptation to any wheelchair and body shape just by placing it on your regular seat.
The third spot on our list goes to the Express Comfort Contoured Gel Wheelchair Cushion.
This exceptional wheelchair cushion provides both a firm foam base and four soft gel pads to promote comfort and skin protection.
Like other wheelchair cushions from Comfort Company, the outer cover is constructed with Comfort Company's special Solace Fabric, which is not only soft and comfortable but also antimicrobial and resistant to liquid.
Made from high-density molded foam, the Express Comfort Contoured Gel Wheelchair Cushion is designed to mitigate the risk of pressure ulcers while also providing wheelchair users with a comfy seat.
Its visco surface immediately conforms to the user's shape while its recessed gel pack helps to regulate body temperature, redistribute body pressure, and provide a stable seating surface without sacrificing gel placement.
Soft materials and an advanced body adapting technology are components that describe a highly comfortable wheelchair cushion. Nonetheless, the Elements Gel Wheelchair Cushion by Comfort Company takes comfort to the next level by creating a gel wheelchair cushion capable of even teaming up with a gel pack to offer a cooling sensation that lasts several hours. Spending time outside without worrying about the heat from prolonged sitting is ideal with this gel cushion.
The easy-to-clean Elements Gel Wheelchair Cushion by Comfort Company is one of our most preferred options for wheelchair users, especially in warm weather. This heavy-duty cushion comes in several sizes and can grant comfortable support for up to 400 lbs. Its materials allow a quick body shape adaptation and refresh the user thanks to the easily insertable gel packs.
This premium gel cushion comes and offers a wide variety of width sizes from 16 to 22", while also letting you customize your experience and choose the seat thickness. The Elements Gel Wheelchair Cushion by Comfort Company is simple to install, just place it in your regular wheelchair and leave the non-kid flat bottom to attach itself to your seat to avoid any uncomfortable motion.
A gel wheelchair cushion generally consists of a gel pouch or “bladder” filled with either pure silicone gel, or a blend of silicone-based gels.
The bladder is placed either on top of a high-resiliency foam and/or EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam layer, or between two layers of foam. The more foam layers, the stiffer the cushion and the firmer the support.
A proper cover is also important. Covers are usually made of an easy-to-clean, water-resistant surface such as urethane-coated nylon, and a low-shear, stretch fabric designed to circulate air evenly and reduce heat.
An important thing to consider when searching for a cushion is your or your loved one's degree of risk of skin integrity problems, such as ulcers and shearing. Some cushions are designed with those issues in mind, while others are more suited for low-risk users. Those who have had pressure sores before, or who spend 12 hours or more in a wheelchair per day, are at higher risk. Your doctor can help you with this evaluation.
Here at Rehabmart, we tested over thirty different gel cushions for durability, cost, comfort, quality of cover, design, and customer feedback. The cushions highlighted here represent the cream of the crop, and are our picks for the best gel cushions on the market right now.
Didn't find what you were looking for? Browse all Gel Wheelchair Cushions for sale or our entire catalog of Wheelchair Cushions for sale.
Interested in learning more? Check out our free, educational resource Caregiver University. You can find articles about orthotics, wheelchairs, aging in place, fall prevention, and much more!
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Co-Founder of Rehabmart and an Occupational Therapist since 1993. Mike has spent his professional career working in multiple areas of Occupational Therapy, including pediatrics, geriatrics, hand therapy, ergonomics and inpatient / outpatient rehabilitation. Mike enjoys writing articles that help people solve complex therapeutic problems and make better product choices.
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