Spinal injury, which causes immobility, can be a major factor leading to the development of pressure sores. Spinal injury blocks the transmission of messages of pain or feelings of discomfort to a person's brain that would normally let them know they need a change in position. Any other disease or condition that may cause inactivity, poor nutrition, or urinary and fecal incontinence, are major risk factors in developing pressure sores. This is a type of pressure injury that is caused when skin and bone underneath move in opposite directions. Another type of skin injury that could lead to the development of a pressure sore is due to abrasions, which are caused by dragging or scraping skin across a surface instead of lifting.
Maceration is and injury caused by softening of the skin due to moisture.
This makes the skin more susceptible to breakage. The moisture is caused by excessive sweating, urinary or fecal incontinence, and openly secreting wounds. The clinical presentation of a pressure sore is seen as an inflammation or soreness on the surface of the skin, which is only a small fraction of the entire wound. The ulceration takes on a conical shape as a result of a pressure gradient development. Where the smallest point is presented on the outermost region of the skin, while the bulk of the damage occurs at the base, underlying the surface.