Prediction of ulcer formation on the skin

The study reported in this paper investigates the feasibility of developing criteria for predicting the formation of ulcers on the human skin. Published data on the effect of pressure, friction, shear, oxygen tension, temperature, and exposure time on ulcer formation are analyzed, combined, and incorporated in developing the criteria. The results illustrate the relative contributions of the different parameters to the formation of ulcers. The developed relationships can provide guidelines for more rigorous clinical studies which would take into consideration the effect of age, sex, and physical conditions on the formation of ulcers at different sites of the body.