Shear Smart

Skin breakdown from friction and shear is one of the most preventable causes of pressure injuries — and one of the most costly to treat once it starts. Shear Smart products are engineered to address the sliding, dragging forces that damage fragile skin when a patient shifts, slides down in bed, or is repositioned. For caregivers managing bedbound patients, wheelchair users, or anyone at risk of pressure ulcers, reducing shear is just as important as relieving direct pressure.

Shear happens when the skin stays put while the tissue and bone beneath it move — think of a resident gradually sliding down after the head of the bed is raised. That internal stretching pinches blood vessels and starves tissue of oxygen, quietly setting the stage for deep tissue injury before any surface redness appears. Shear Smart addresses this with low-friction materials and designs that let surfaces glide against skin rather than grip it, protecting the vulnerable heels, sacrum, and elbows most often affected.

These products suit home caregivers and clinical settings alike, working alongside your existing pressure-redistribution routine. If you're building out a fuller skin-protection and safe-handling program, pair them with our Smart Lift Smart Stand transfer solutions to minimize dragging during moves, and explore Smart Caregiver monitoring tools that alert you before an at-risk patient attempts to reposition unsafely.

When choosing shear-reduction products, consider where friction occurs most for your patient, how often repositioning happens, and whether the surface needs to work in bed, in a chair, or during transfers. The right combination reduces caregiver strain, protects skin integrity, and helps keep small problems from becoming wounds that are far harder to heal.