ATP Seating & Mobility Assessment Flashcards

What is the clinical significance of measuring the 'sitting height' during a wheelchair assessment?

Answer: It guides the selection of back height and head support positioning

Sitting height (top of head to seat surface) guides the back support height and determines whether head or neck supports are needed.

A client with a recent stroke presents with pusher syndrome. Which seating strategy is MOST recommended to address this condition?

Answer: Provide visual and tactile feedback to facilitate midline orientation

Pusher syndrome involves a distorted perception of vertical; visual and tactile cues help recalibrate the client's sense of midline and upright posture.

When conducting a seating evaluation for a bariatric client, which factor is MOST important to assess beyond standard measurements?

Answer: Tissue tolerance, skin integrity, and weight distribution across the seating surface

Bariatric clients are at elevated risk for pressure injuries; thorough skin and tissue assessment, combined with appropriate weight distribution, is paramount.

Which of the following correctly defines 'hip angle' in a seating assessment?

Answer: The angle between the trunk and the thigh

Hip angle refers to the angle formed between the trunk (or pelvis) and the thigh, reflecting the degree of hip flexion in the seated position.

A client is being evaluated for a custom-contoured seating system. What simulation method is MOST commonly used to trial the fit before fabrication?

Answer: Using a simulator with adjustable pads and supports to find optimal contour

An adjustable simulator with moveable pads allows the ATP to identify the optimal contoured shape before committing to final fabrication.

What is the PRIMARY reason an ATP would recommend footrest elevating legrests for a client post-knee surgery?

Answer: To reduce edema and accommodate limited knee flexion range of motion

Elevating legrests reduce dependent edema and accommodate limited knee flexion by allowing the leg to extend to a comfortable angle.

A teenager with Duchenne muscular dystrophy has developed significant scoliosis. The ATP determines the scoliosis is structural (rigid). What is the MOST appropriate seating approach?

Answer: Accommodative seating that supports the spine in its current position without overcorrection

Rigid structural scoliosis cannot be corrected through seating; accommodative supports maintain comfort, function, and skin integrity without forcing the spine.