What are bed sores?

Bed sores are areas of skin that break down when a person stays in one position for too long without shifting their weight. This often happens if a person is wheelchair-bound or is bedridden.  Bed sores can develop quickly, posing a risk for those even with short-term stays (for example, after surgery or an injury). The constant pressure against the skin reduces the blood supply to that area, and the affected tissue dies.

A bed sore starts as reddened skin but can get progressively worse, forming a blister, then an open sore, and finally a crater. An advanced bed sore can literally form a hole in the skin to expose deep tissue, ligaments and bone.  The most common places for bed sores are over bony areas like the elbow, heels, hips, ankles, shoulders, back, and the back of the head.

Bed Sore
Resource Center

Information and medical contact resources for bed sore education and treatment.

Ask a question or request a consultation

Have a question about bed sores that you can't find on the website? Please use this form to send this question to an experienced nursing home lawyer:

captcha