Orthopedic seats are one of the most popular groups of products in the field of orthopedic equipment being used to stabilize the patient in a sitting position. It seems reasonable to select the orthopedic equipment in accordance with normal development, first in a sitting position and later also in a standing position. An indispensable feature of orthopedic equipment must be its ability to adapt to the individual needs of a child, which is often associated with a large range of regulation due to dynamic developmental changes (e.g. growth).

Why and for whom are orthopedic seats dedicated?

A properly selected orthopedic seat, adjusted to the user's anatomical conditions, should allow for the following purposes:

1. Getting the correct position of the body in a sitting position - positioning and stabilization in a sitting position
2. Improving the cognitive functions of the nervous system.

The main advantage of taking a higher position than lying down is its beneficial effects on the circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems.

The psychological benefits of a sitting position cannot be forgotten. Thanks to obtaining a sitting position, the patient gets to know the world better by easier perception of visual-auditory stimuli. Through the sitting position, we improve the eye-hand coordination as well as the manipulative functions of the hand. We improve head control, thanks to which we can more easily work on the language and develop speech, and above all, we enable interaction in everyday activities (e.g. shared breakfast of children and parents at one table).

In the process of rehabilitation with the use of an orthopedic seat, it is very important to remove pathological patterns and conduct it in such a way that the created new patterns are as close to the correct ones as possible. They are to prevent the development of the pathological position of individual body parts.

By maintaining an appropriate sitting position, we preserve the effects of the therapists' hard work and prevent the consolidation of incorrect movement patterns during breaks in improvement. Comprehensive rehabilitation means the necessary cooperation between doctors, physiotherapists and parents in the treatment of a child. The shared knowledge of the rehabilitation team should also help in selecting a specific rehabilitation device

Appropriate sit down positioning should include:

• Keep the head and torso in the frontal plane so that the back of the head and back are in line.The stabilization of the head and shoulders affects: eyesight fixation, the ability to make eye contact, shaping the ability to concentrate attention, improving the control of the speech apparatus. Shoulders should be slightly protected.
• Extending the torso, secured with appropriate side supports, preventing the loss of a stable position.
• The backrest is positioned at an angle of approx. 90 degrees to the seat plane with the additional possibility of adjusting the backrest in order to maintain a neutral position of the shoulder girdle, head and hip bend.
• Pelvis stabilized so that the sacrum touches the back of the backrest to avoid pelvic retrograde tilt.
• Adapted seat depth to safely support your thighs and keep the hip and knee joints at an angle of approx. 90 degrees.
• Separation of the lower limbs with an abduction wedge or abduction belts (recommended) if there is an adductive tendency.
• Feet resting flat on the footrest, with the possibility of comfortable pinning them in line with the knee joints.
• Adjustable footrest height so that the thigh rests along the entire length of the seat, and the feet are at appropriate distances from each other parallel to the thighs.

For whom?

Orthopedic seats are most often used in the following diseases: cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophies, paralysis of various origins, spinal bifurcation, meningeal hernias, conditions after spinal injuries, conditions after craniocerebral injuries, conditions after stroke, postural defects, in particular scoliosis of the spine when no other care is used.