• Chizuru Harada, Toyomi Shigematsu, and Satsue Hagisawa.
• Oita Medical University, School of Nursing, Hasama, Japan. charada@oita-med.ac.jp
• J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2002 May 1; 29 (3): 143-8.

ObjectiveThis pilot study was undertaken to determine the effects of a 10-degree leg elevation for 30-degree head-up position on body displacement and sacral interface pressure for 2 hours.DesignThe study used a comparative, quasi-experimental design with repeated measures.Settings And SubjectsA convenience sample of 10 healthy Japanese women was used.InstrumentsBody displacement was defined as the difference over time between the top edge of the mattress and subject's acromion and was measured every 10 minutes by tape measure (in centimeters). Sacral interface pressure was measured every 10 minutes using a pneumatic pressure sensor.MethodsThe subject was placed supine on a standard hospital bed. The head of the bed was then elevated to 30 degrees according to 2 protocols: (1) supine for 10 minutes without leg elevation alternating with 10 minutes of side-lying, or (2) supine for 10 minutes with leg elevation at 10 degrees alternating with side-lying every 10 minutes. Body displacement and mean sacral interface pressures in both protocols were compared by using repeated measures analysis of variance.ResultsThe 30-degree head-up position with 10-degree leg elevation significantly reduced the amount of body displacement at the acromion compared with no elevation of the legs. There were no significant differences in mean sacral interface pressure in either position.ConclusionLeg elevation at 10 degrees in the 30-degree head-up position was effective for reducing body displacement at the acromion; it was not effective for reducing sacral interface pressures.

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