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Does anybody know of any type of dressings that have shock absorbing properties ? Could somebody state that allevyn has them apart from the exudate abdorbing properties?
If there any, could you also please state tha company that produces them?
Many thanks

Allevyn does work quite well, as it is a thick / bulky dressing. But do you want a dressing for an old patient or an athletic patient ??

podomania

Technically any solid which contains a gas or fluid within its structure will prevent pressures from passing through the medium. So all the new synthetic visco-elastic gels could be classed as shock attenuating compounds. Similarly foams will offer some cushioning by absorbtion. In both cases the modulus of compression will be low however and shock attenuation properties more technical than practical, I would hassard.

Cameron
Hety, what do I know?

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Cameron Kippen, Podologist and Shoe Historian




Cameron Kippen

Sorry Cameron...but how about explaining it to him with ESL ( English as a Second Language )?!

thanks very much...and don't worry my english is good as i studied in the uk

trudi

>Sorry Cameron...but how about explaining it to him with ESL ( English as a Second Language )?!

>Technically any solid which contains a gas or fluid within its structure will prevent pressures from passing through the medium.

Laws which govern basic physics

>So all the new synthetic visco-elastic gels could be classed as shock attenuating compounds.

>visco-elastics
Man made polymers which include gas and or fluids within a solid substence eg siliconised gels Spin off from the space age.

>shock attenuating compounds
reduce (dampen) peak impact by a process known as isotactic effect.

>Similarly foams will offer some cushioning by absorbtion.

This is sometimes described as an isobaric effect. The same thing is seen in the behaviour of open and closed cell matierials.

>modulus of compression

Scientific term to describe the physical resistance within a material to avoid compression.


>shock attenuation properties are more technical than practical, I would hassard.

I think the pressure absorbing properties of ulcer dressings are limited value

Cameron

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Cameron Kippen, Podologist and Shoe Historian




Cameron Kippen

Hi
No dressing itself would offer any form of pressure relief especailly on a weight bearing area.
It is always worth considering what the secondary dressing is, as this will help decide what some of the options are for the primary dressing.
Hope this is of help
Prad Solanki

Hi,

As a secondary dressing, I always use Biatain foam before any other foam as it seems to have the best mechanical loading properties (including torsional and frictional stresses), although I would agree that pressure-relief, as such, is best done in combination with more traditional methods such as total contact casting, aircast boots or orthoses.

You can get more info on Biatain from Coloplast, which you should be able to find on the net!

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nicpod1

I have also found Biatain as the best alternate to Allevyn when used as a secondary dressing. Both dressings some what will provide some shock absorbance and pressure redistribution but if applied to a major weightbearing structure like the 1st MPJ then both dressings would pretty much compress down to nothing.

You could contact your local Smith & Nephew Rep and see if any studies have been performed or they know about this issue. I would assume that not many if any studies have been performed in this area due to the cost of the products.

I think if you are looking at a moderate to long term pressure redistribution you should stick to conventional methods such as padding or accommodative orthotics, usually in a post op shoe.

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Sheridan

Sue Barnett in the UK has done some work on this and has actually shown that rather than acting to reduce vertical forces, (which I guess is what you are after) these dressings increase the pressure.

For any UK Pods going to the London Diabetic Foot Conf she is presenting on this next week.