What is a pressure injury?

Prolonged pressure and/or shear forces on skin and deep tissues cause cell deformation, ischaemia and cell death. Pressure injuries commonly develop in skin, fat, and muscle that cover bony areas of the body.  

Not all pressure injuries are open wounds. Pressure injuries in deep tissues around joints may present as a hard lump without skin breakdown.

Some pressure injuries can start from other innocuous causes such as pimples, rashes, scrapes, burns or bruises. A pressure injury can develop quickly if not addressed or treated appropriately. 

If left untreated or poorly managed, a pressure injury can have catastrophic effects on a person’s quality of life, potentially resulting in a lengthy hospital stay and further disability such as reduced mobility, deconditioning, increased dependence, surgery and infection or sepsis.