Integral Heel Support - Viscoelastic Foam Cushion for Targeted Pressure Relief and Friction Reduction.
- Hollowed Heel Zone for Zero-Contact Heel Offloading - the Integral Heel Support incorporates a hollow cavity at the heel zone that allows the calcaneus to rest within the void without making contact with the foam surface; this zero-contact approach completely eliminates interface pressure at the calcaneal prominence, which is the primary goal of heel pressure care management per NICE CG179; unlike cushions that reduce heel pressure through load redistribution, the hollowed zone achieves genuine zero-contact across the entire calcaneal surface regardless of the resident's body weight, providing absolute offloading rather than graduated redistribution.
- Forefoot Cut-Outs and Achilles Side Supports - the forefoot side cut-outs redirect the load that would otherwise fall on the forefoot (the metatarsal heads) to the lateral foot borders, which have greater tissue tolerance; the Achilles side supports provide lateral stabilisation for the Achilles tendon zone without applying direct pressure to the tendon itself, protecting against the lateral Achilles pressure injuries that can occur when the foot falls laterally against a flat surface; together, the three-zone design - hollowed heel, forefoot cut-outs, and Achilles sides - provides protection across the full lower limb foot zone without requiring any specific positioning of the foot.
- Passive Protection for Agitated or Mobile Residents - the Integral Heel Support provides pressure protection through its structural design rather than requiring the resident to maintain a specific position; residents with agitation, spasticity, or repetitive leg movements who cannot maintain a passive elevated position benefit from the heel support's passive protection, which remains effective even when the foot moves against the support surface; the memory foam construction adapts to the foot position during movement while maintaining the offloading function at the heel zone.
- Viscoelastic Memory Foam - 550x25x75mm - MDR Class I - NCL-P901T1HW - viscoelastic memory foam conforms to the individual foot profile; dimensions 550 x 25 x 75mm (note: the 25mm refers to the trim profile depth rather than a limiting dimension); MDR 2017/745 Class I medical device; occupational therapist or tissue viability assessment per NICE CG179; product code NCL-P901T1HW; care plan documents the heel zone assessment and inspection schedule.
Integral Heel Support - Hollowed Heel Zone - Forefoot Cut-Outs - Achilles Side Supports - Visco Foam
The Integral Heel Support provides heel pressure care through a three-zone viscoelastic foam design: a hollowed heel cavity for zero-contact calcaneal offloading, forefoot cut-outs to redirect metatarsal head load to the lateral foot borders, and Achilles side supports that protect the tendon zone without direct pressure. Passive protection that remains effective during agitated or mobile foot movement. Memory foam for adaptive fit. MDR 2017/745 Class I medical device. NICE CG179. NCL-P901T1HW.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Construction | Viscoelastic memory foam |
| Heel Zone | Hollowed cavity - zero contact at calcaneus |
| Forefoot Zone | Side cut-outs redirect metatarsal head load laterally |
| Achilles Zone | Side supports - lateral stabilisation without direct tendon pressure |
| Passive Protection | Effective during agitated or repetitive leg movements |
| Reference | NCL-P901T1HW |
| Regulatory Status | MDR 2017/745 Class I medical device |
Regulatory Compliance
The Integral Heel Support is a Class I medical device under MDR 2017/745. Clinical selection requires occupational therapist or tissue viability assessment per NICE CG179, with the three-zone protection indication and fit assessment documented in the care plan. Equipment register records and MDR conformity documentation must be maintained for CQC Regulation 12 compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the hollowed heel zone differ from a standard heel cushion's pressure redistribution approach?
A standard heel cushion reduces heel pressure by distributing the contact load across a larger soft foam or gel surface - the heel still makes contact with the cushion, but that contact is spread across the cushion's conforming surface rather than concentrated at the calcaneal prominence. This redistribution approach reduces interface pressure but does not eliminate it; the clinical effectiveness depends on the foam or gel's capacity to maintain a low-pressure distribution under the resident's specific weight and the duration of contact. The hollowed heel zone takes a fundamentally different approach: the heel drops into the void and makes no contact with the foam at the calcaneal zone at all; there is no pressure to redistribute because there is no contact surface beneath the heel. This zero-contact approach is the gold standard for heel ulcer prevention in NICE CG179 terms, as it eliminates the causative mechanism entirely rather than managing it. The practical implication is that the hollowed zone approach provides consistent protection regardless of the resident's weight - heavier residents will cause more compression in a redistributing cushion, potentially approaching a bottoming-out state; the void cannot bottom out because contact is already absent.
When is the Integral Heel Support more appropriate than a positioning wedge for heel offloading?
A positioning wedge under the calf achieves heel offloading by elevating the entire lower leg, which lifts the heel clear of the mattress; this is effective but requires the resident to tolerate the raised position and the wedge to remain in place throughout the positioning interval. The Integral Heel Support achieves offloading through its zero-contact hollow rather than through elevation; the foot rests at mattress level with the heel suspended in the void, which provides full heel offloading without changing the limb's overall position. The Heel Support is more appropriate than a wedge for residents with agitation or spasticity who cannot tolerate or maintain the raised limb position that wedge elevation requires; for residents with equinus deformity risk (which the Heel Support Boot, ID 250, addresses more fully); and for residents where the clinical priority is heel protection rather than full lower limb elevation. Where both heel offloading and calf/thigh load redistribution are clinically required, a combination of the Heel Support (for the specific heel zone) and appropriate positioning aids for the lower limb may be indicated, documented by the occupational therapist.
NCL-P901T1HW
- Hollowed Heel Zone for Zero-Contact Heel Offloading - the Integral Heel Support incorporates a hollow cavity at the heel zone that allows the calcaneus to rest within the void without making contact with the foam surface; this zero-contact approach completely eliminates interface pressure at the calcaneal prominence, which is the primary goal of heel pressure care management per NICE CG179; unlike cushions that reduce heel pressure through load redistribution, the hollowed zone achieves genuine zero-contact across the entire calcaneal surface regardless of the resident's body weight, providing absolute offloading rather than graduated redistribution.
- Forefoot Cut-Outs and Achilles Side Supports - the forefoot side cut-outs redirect the load that would otherwise fall on the forefoot (the metatarsal heads) to the lateral foot borders, which have greater tissue tolerance; the Achilles side supports provide lateral stabilisation for the Achilles tendon zone without applying direct pressure to the tendon itself, protecting against the lateral Achilles pressure injuries that can occur when the foot falls laterally against a flat surface; together, the three-zone design - hollowed heel, forefoot cut-outs, and Achilles sides - provides protection across the full lower limb foot zone without requiring any specific positioning of the foot.
- Passive Protection for Agitated or Mobile Residents - the Integral Heel Support provides pressure protection through its structural design rather than requiring the resident to maintain a specific position; residents with agitation, spasticity, or repetitive leg movements who cannot maintain a passive elevated position benefit from the heel support's passive protection, which remains effective even when the foot moves against the support surface; the memory foam construction adapts to the foot position during movement while maintaining the offloading function at the heel zone.
- Viscoelastic Memory Foam - 550x25x75mm - MDR Class I - NCL-P901T1HW - viscoelastic memory foam conforms to the individual foot profile; dimensions 550 x 25 x 75mm (note: the 25mm refers to the trim profile depth rather than a limiting dimension); MDR 2017/745 Class I medical device; occupational therapist or tissue viability assessment per NICE CG179; product code NCL-P901T1HW; care plan documents the heel zone assessment and inspection schedule.