30° Positioning Wedge - Memory Foam Support for Lateral Offloading and Sacral Pressure Relief.
- Achieves the NICE CG179 30-Degree Lateral Tilt Position - the 30° Positioning Wedge is calibrated to position the resident at the specific 30-degree tilt from supine recommended in NICE CG179 for lateral offloading of the sacrum and pelvis; this angle directs the body's weight to the gluteal musculature at 30 degrees rather than to the greater trochanter at 90 degrees lateral, distributing the load to a tissue zone with substantially greater mass and vascularity per the clinical rationale summarised in the Decubitus Cushion (ID 234) entry; the moulded memory foam surface provides the conforming contact quality required to maintain this specific angle across different body dimensions.
- Hollowed Sacral Area for Zero-Contact Sacral Offloading - the wedge incorporates a hollowed zone at the sacral position, allowing the sacrum to rest in the void without making contact with the foam surface; this zero-contact approach at the sacrum is the most clinically direct intervention for sacral pressure care and is combined with the 30-degree positioning angle to both offload the sacrum by lateral tilt and eliminate residual sacral contact pressure from any tissue that would otherwise rest on the foam surface adjacent to the tilt position; this dual mechanism makes the 30-degree wedge one of the most clinically targeted sacral offloading products in the range.
- Three Variants - Full and Half-Sided Options - Non-Slip Base - NCL-P910L1HW is the full wedge (990 x 550 x 150mm), providing complete body support on one side for unilateral lateral positioning; NCL-P910LG1HW is the Half Left (990 x 280 x 150mm) and NCL-P910LD1HW is the Half Right, each supporting the lateral positioning on the corresponding side; half variants are used when only one side is required or when two half-wedges are used together for alternating positioning; the non-slip base prevents the wedge from displacing during the positioning interval; integrated carry handle supports carer handling during repositioning turns.
- High-Resilience Core - Bi-Stretch Breathable PU Cover - MDR Class I - the HR foam core maintains the wedge profile under body weight for the full repositioning interval; the viscoelastic memory surface provides the conforming contact quality at the body surface; the bi-stretch breathable PU cover manages skin microclimate at the body contact zones; MDR 2017/745 Class I positioning device; occupational therapist or tissue viability assessment per NICE CG179; care plan documents the 30-degree positioning protocol.
30-Degree Positioning Wedge - NICE CG179 Lateral Tilt - Hollowed Sacral Zone - Full and Half Variants
The 30-Degree Positioning Wedge achieves the NICE CG179-recommended 30-degree lateral tilt for sacral offloading, with an integrated hollowed sacral zone that eliminates residual sacral contact pressure. High-resilience foam core with viscoelastic memory surface. Non-slip base. Integrated carry handle. Bi-stretch breathable PU cover. Three variants: NCL-P910L1HW Full (990 x 550 x 150mm), NCL-P910LG1HW Half Left (990 x 280 x 150mm), NCL-P910LD1HW Half Right (990 x 280 x 150mm). MDR 2017/745 Class I. NICE CG179.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| NCL-P910L1HW | Full Wedge - 990 x 550 x 150mm |
| NCL-P910LG1HW | Half Left - 990 x 280 x 150mm |
| NCL-P910LD1HW | Half Right - 990 x 280 x 150mm |
| Construction | HR foam core with viscoelastic memory surface layer |
| Cover | Bi-stretch breathable polyurethane |
| Sacral Feature | Hollowed zone - zero contact at sacrum |
| Base | Non-slip |
| Handling Aid | Integrated carry handle |
| Regulatory Status | MDR 2017/745 Class I medical device |
Regulatory Compliance
The 30-Degree Positioning Wedge is a Class I medical device under MDR 2017/745. Clinical selection requires occupational therapist or tissue viability assessment per NICE CG179. The 30-degree tilt protocol, turning schedule, and skin inspection protocol must be documented in the care plan. The hollowed sacral feature must be confirmed correctly aligned with the sacrum at each placement. Equipment register records and MDR conformity documentation must be maintained for CQC Regulation 12 compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the clinical rationale for the 30-degree lateral tilt specifically, and why not a steeper or shallower angle?
The 30-degree tilt represents the angle at which the body's gravitational load is directed away from the sacrum and greater trochanter while the body's contact surface is still primarily the posterior gluteal musculature - a tissue zone with the mass and vascularity to withstand sustained interface loading far better than the sacrum or trochanter. At steeper angles (45-90 degrees), the lateral tilt directs load increasingly toward the greater trochanter and the lateral aspects of the thigh and pelvis, which are less resilient pressure sites; at 90 degrees (full lateral), the trochanter bears most of the lateral load and becomes the primary pressure injury site. At shallower angles (10-20 degrees), the sacrum is only partially offloaded and retains enough contact with the mattress to continue accumulating pressure. The 30-degree angle represents the balance point where sacral and trochanteric offloading are simultaneously achieved, evidenced by the specific clinical outcome data that underpins the NICE CG179 recommendation. The moulded wedge calibrated to this exact angle removes the variability inherent in pillow-based positioning, where the achieved angle depends on pillow arrangement and compresses under body weight over the repositioning interval.
When should the full wedge be used versus the half-wedge variants, and can two half-wedges be used together?
The full wedge (NCL-P910L1HW, 990 x 550mm) supports the resident across the full lateral tilt position from shoulder to hip on one side, providing a complete single-piece lateral positioning surface. It is indicated when the resident is being positioned on one specific side for the full repositioning interval, and when a complete body-length support is needed. The half-wedge variants (NCL-P910LG1HW left and NCL-P910LD1HW right) each provide a 280mm wide support corresponding to one side of the body's lateral contact surface; they are used when one-sided lateral support is all that is required, or when two care staff each handle one half-wedge during a bilateral repositioning manoeuvre. Two half-wedges can be used together to create a configuration equivalent to the full wedge, which provides more flexibility during repositioning turns by allowing each half to be positioned and removed independently. The clinical outcome is the same regardless of which configuration achieves the 30-degree tilt; the choice between full and half variants is operational, based on the care team's preferred repositioning method and available equipment.
NCL-P910L1HW
- Achieves the NICE CG179 30-Degree Lateral Tilt Position - the 30° Positioning Wedge is calibrated to position the resident at the specific 30-degree tilt from supine recommended in NICE CG179 for lateral offloading of the sacrum and pelvis; this angle directs the body's weight to the gluteal musculature at 30 degrees rather than to the greater trochanter at 90 degrees lateral, distributing the load to a tissue zone with substantially greater mass and vascularity per the clinical rationale summarised in the Decubitus Cushion (ID 234) entry; the moulded memory foam surface provides the conforming contact quality required to maintain this specific angle across different body dimensions.
- Hollowed Sacral Area for Zero-Contact Sacral Offloading - the wedge incorporates a hollowed zone at the sacral position, allowing the sacrum to rest in the void without making contact with the foam surface; this zero-contact approach at the sacrum is the most clinically direct intervention for sacral pressure care and is combined with the 30-degree positioning angle to both offload the sacrum by lateral tilt and eliminate residual sacral contact pressure from any tissue that would otherwise rest on the foam surface adjacent to the tilt position; this dual mechanism makes the 30-degree wedge one of the most clinically targeted sacral offloading products in the range.
- Three Variants - Full and Half-Sided Options - Non-Slip Base - NCL-P910L1HW is the full wedge (990 x 550 x 150mm), providing complete body support on one side for unilateral lateral positioning; NCL-P910LG1HW is the Half Left (990 x 280 x 150mm) and NCL-P910LD1HW is the Half Right, each supporting the lateral positioning on the corresponding side; half variants are used when only one side is required or when two half-wedges are used together for alternating positioning; the non-slip base prevents the wedge from displacing during the positioning interval; integrated carry handle supports carer handling during repositioning turns.
- High-Resilience Core - Bi-Stretch Breathable PU Cover - MDR Class I - the HR foam core maintains the wedge profile under body weight for the full repositioning interval; the viscoelastic memory surface provides the conforming contact quality at the body surface; the bi-stretch breathable PU cover manages skin microclimate at the body contact zones; MDR 2017/745 Class I positioning device; occupational therapist or tissue viability assessment per NICE CG179; care plan documents the 30-degree positioning protocol.