The EquaGel Protector is the higher-risk cushion in the EquaGel range, built from two layers of dry polymer gel in an open grid. The columns buckle under bony prominences and spread the load across the rest of the seat, and because the grid is open, air moves underneath the client rather than heat and moisture building up. The pelvic area is contoured so the pelvis sits lower and steadier in the chair.
There is nothing to inflate, pump or adjust, which is the practical argument for it. The waterproof cover has a hook and loop base so the cushion stays put on a wheelchair seat, and the gel washes in soapy water.
Who it suits
A client at high risk of pressure injury who sits in a wheelchair for long periods and cannot reliably weight shift: spinal cord injury, MS, advanced neurological conditions, or a history of ischial or sacral pressure injury. It is the right call where the client or carer will not keep up the daily checking an air cushion needs. For a client who self-propels and transfers often, a lighter foam cushion may be easier to lift, and for an existing stage 3 or 4 pressure injury an adjustable air cushion gives more offloading.
Good to know
- Choose the size by the wheelchair seat, not the client; the cushion must sit flat within the seat rails
- Keep the cushion out of direct sun and hot cars; the gel softens with heat
- Not suitable as a sole surface on a sling seat without a solid seat insert
- Cover is replaceable
