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Overview :
Fontaine et al developed the pressure/shear factor (PSF) to
compare pressure and shear forces on a skin surface using different support
surfaces. This can help select the support surface that is optimum for a
patient. The authors are from the RIK Medical in Boulder, Colorado.
Basis: Both vertical pressure and shear forces can contribute
to wound development by restricting blood flow and causing tissue breakdown.
Parameters:
(1) pressure in mm Hg
(2) shear force in grams
PSF =
= ROUND(pressure in mm Hg) + (4 * ROUND(shear force))
When comparing 2 support surfaces, the surface with the lower
PSF would be less likely to cause tissue injury.
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