Using warning devices to improve pressure-relief training.

A training and monitoring system has been developed to train spinal cord injured patients to relieve pressure intermittently from ischium while sitting in wheelchairs. The system automates the training of wheelchair push-ups based on certain conditioning principles. The system reminds the patient to do a push-up of a specified duration and at specified intervals. The frequency and the duration of the push-ups are monitored providing information about performance of the patients, especially when the alarms to remind the patients are disconnected. A long-term study is in hand to assess the effectiveness of the system.