sliding down the bed

[Kristina1]

Anyone know of a solution to sliding down the bed? Got an adjustable bed so I can incline upper body, but it doesn't take long before my body slides down. Wish there were something that would brace feet or something. Anyone know?

 

[lgelb]

Usually if you have your feet up some, that takes care of it. Sometimes you may want to tilt the whole bed back a tiny bit as well.

Does your bed not have those adjustments? If not, using foam blocks or small pillows strategically, like under your lower arms, might help. But for Hoyer transfers, you would really want a full-boat hospital bed.

Best,
Laurie

 

[KarenNWendyn]

I had the same problem and also wanted something at the foot of the bed to push my drop feet into for support. We came up with something called a “foot cradle” ( you can do a google search or check Amazon for ideas).

We strap a pillow into the foot cradle. This gives my feet support and also counteracts sliding down the bed. If you use a hospital bed with a board at the end, you can press your feet into the board or strap a pillow to the board.

 

[lgelb]

My reservation with the "control the feet" paradigm is if they are so low that you are using them as a fulcrum in effect, then you are risking edema and skin injury over time.

Larry weighed 250 and we never used the footboard for any purpose at all (other than holding the mattress But we had foam under his lower arms to reduce pressure there, pressure boots for the feet (tied loosely parallel together), and a foam belt around his thighs to keep his legs aligned. Of course, he could not turn or be rolled so that was a little different. But even when we tilted the whole bed up to use the urinal, he did not fall down.

The torso is the natural center of gravity, so that's why I'd try to leverage it first.

 

[jonico]

Good morning Kristina,

You might try some rug gripper padding, that non-adhesive thin padding with holes in it that goes under rugs to prevent slipping. You should really only need an amount the size of your bottom, and then it is just a question of whether it feels comfortable there. We had great success keeping a futon mattress in place that kept sliding down. If you don't have some kicking around the house, a small amount of “Gorilla Grip” padding is very affordable on Amazon. If it doesn't work or isn't comfortable - not too much lost. Hope that helps!

 

[lgelb]

Keeping the mattress in place using its underside is of course a good thing as there are many "high friction" solutions, as Jonico mentions.

But just a reminder that you wouldn't want to put anything plastic or "sticky" anywhere it could come into contact w/ your body as that could injure the skin and/or impair circulation.

 

[Diane H]

You really should be lying flat in bed overnight even if that requires BiPAP. And yes, you can lie flat with BiPAP! Sitting up, whether in a chair or inclined in bed puts pressure on the pelvic and sacral bones and causes pressure (bed) sores. Raising the head of the bed and then sliding down also causes shearing injury as the skin is pulled down and away from the underlying tissues. A good medical quality air or gel chair cushion and mattress will go a long way toward prevention, but lying flat also helps the lungs move mucus up and out, unfolds the hips for better circulation (less foot swelling and lower risk of blood clots), and intestinal action. It also allows positioning on your side if only for a short time or minimal rotation, also important for clearer lungs. And constantly sitting up or inclined causes contracture of the lower back muscle and severe pain if you are even in a situation where you have to lie flat.
So many physical problems of ALS are due to not being able to move. We have to do what we can to combat those problems by being repositioned every which way possible -- especially not sitting on our "butt bones" all the time!

 

[DrDark]

Kristina, I had difficulty with my feet sliding when I tried to push myself up in bed, and I remembered a product called dysom that we used to help geriatric patients from sliding off their recliners. My home PT brought a piece that I am still using nine months later. It is a tacky film that many rehab departments have for positioning. It comes on a roll like foil, and they cut off a length for you. When I lay down in bed, my cALS places it under my feet, and it gives me enough traction to bridge, and I also use it to stay up in bed sometimes. It loses its traction if lint accumulates on it, but all you have to do is rinse it with plain water and let it air dry. It has been a huge help. Good luck!

 

[Idaho2790]

Dr Dark, do you know where we might be able to find that product?

 

[DrDark]

I just found it on Amazon, but it is pricey at >$30 for a three foot length of 16" film. Your best bet might be to check with your OT or PT. It comes in long rolls too, and seems like an item that would be useful for many pALS, so you might check with your loan closet. BTW, I misspelled it... Amazon spells it "dycem."

 

[lgelb]

Off topic, but Dycem has other uses, like creating more leverage for using a joystick. But you can find similar materials other places, like a hardware store.

 

[ReginaS]

Just in case someone might find this helpful: I cut up a yoga mat and we put part of it under the base of the recliner so that when pALS gets out of the chair he does not slip on the wooden floor. The yoga mat is cut so that it's wide enough for the feet but it fits in between the legs of the walker so that the walker is not on it and can be pushed on the floor without the extra friction.

 

[Idaho2790]

I’m going to try whatever works! This sounds reasonable. Thanks, Regina

 

[ReginaS]

Here is a pic: elevated chair so it's easier to get in and out. Yoga mat cut to fit needs.