So many sling choices! What do you recommend?

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adozi

Distinguished member
Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Messages
233
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
03/2012
Country
US
State
KY
City
Louisville
We need another sling, and i am considering this one :

Nylon Mesh Bath Sling with Head Support
by Hoyer (Model No. 50025)

Or this one :

Divided Leg Sling
by Invacare (model no. R100P)

Does anyone have experience with mesh slings? What are the pros and cons?

OR, Should i just get the same kind i have now? Currently, we use an Invacare U shaped sling with head support. It's the one used at my PT/OT's office, so obviously it is the one they recommend.
 
We've had both of these. Mesh is more forgiving, easier to pull under legs. Easier to partially keep on/under body in commode chair, etc. Downside is it doesn't feel that cushy to the person sitting on it (esp. now that Hoyer is using a much cheaper material and trim for the 50025) and the trim curls more easily, making it harder to place just where you want it. The Invacare is nicer fabric (fleecy inside) but is much heavier and thus more difficult to manipulate. This would esp. be important if your PALS is heavy and/or frail. Sizing also differs between the two, so check measurements carefully against your current sling but since designs differ as well, there are no guarantees.

Caution on both but esp. for mesh, air fluff setting on your dryer, no heat. Try to wash in a mesh bag. All slings fall apart more easily these days; they are being made ex-US with cheaper poly/nylons.

Sling that's used in an office has no special cachet; they got a good price, bought secondhand, whatever. Few PT/OTs "recommend" a sling w/ no caveats since every pt has different needs. That said, I've never figured out what we would do with anything other than a divided leg sling. Head support always sounds nice but the plastic inserts are warped almost to begin with and don't fit well in the chairs (shower/commode and wheel) that we use.
 
Thank you! I'm so glad you have had experience with both that i asked about. The one i have has been working fine, so i think i will just order another one. The reason I'm considering mesh is because it seems it would dry faster, but if we have two, we can just use the dry one.

The one we have is split leg, i too don't see how the alternative would be useful.
 
We used the Invacare divided leg sling with high back for head and neck support and found it very versatile and were able to do everything with it. It was easy to get positioned (with a little practice on technique) either from sitting or lying down position. It was very good for toileting and was never in the way and never got soiled from going to the toilet. They were heavy duty and held up very well. We had two so that I always had a clean one to use while the other was in the wash.
 
I was mistaken. This is the one my PT ordered for me last time, And they did explicitly recommend it . In the office, they use the version without the headrest, but they don't have patients advanced enough in the disease to need head support. It is Hoyer brand, and it's called a u-sling. I guess the u could refer to the shape, or to the fact that it is supposed to be universal.

Padded U-Sling with Head Support
by Hoyer
Model No. 70012
 
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