Thanks to everyone who attended the "Expanding Children's Futures through Postural Management", a positioning seminar for children and adults with severe physical disabilities. The seminar was held in a Hybrid format on Saturday, December 16, 2023.

Here is a brief report of that event from Ms. Masako Sugimoto, product manager, Pacific Supply Sales Group for Pediatric Facilities.

-Morning Session- 10:00-12:00 Gravity and Life in 24 Hours

Ms. Ryoko Ito was invited as a lecturer and our own Mr. Hiroshi Tomuro served as the moderator. We were given a valuable opportunity to think about what Ms. Ryoko has learned from her study in Denmark and Germany, and based on that, how we should support children in Japan. What is our role towards today's children and the children to be born in the future?

                                                                    Ms. Ryoko Ito                                                                                  Mr. Hiroshi Tomuro

Seminar Expectations

For a long time, in the course of my involvement in posture management, I always felt that why the body of the patients had become so deformed, and if I had been able to meet with them earlier, could I have done something to improve their posture.

I only knew about the moment in front of me that I was involved in, and although I had made posture suggestions on the spot, time passed by bewilderingly, wondering if this was really the right thing to do.

It was during this time when I came across the concept of 24-hour posture management. The concept of 24-hour posture management which looks at the entire life of the patient and tried to create, improve, and prevent the deterioration of his/her posture. Also reduce the negative elements as much as possible and increase the positive elements as much as possible. We believe that 24-hour posture management is a means to make such a natural part of life - sleeping, waking up, eating, exercising, being active, and bathing - a little easier and more enjoyable.

Through my connections with various people, I met Ms. Ryoko and after hearing her story, I wanted to spread the word about her study in Denmark, her experience in Germany, and her efforts in Japan, that is why I planned to hold this seminar.

Seminar Satisfaction Ratio is- more than 90% 

Impressions from Seminar Participants

The participants commented about the seminar as- " The seminar was very easy to understand and sympathized". "I will not give up on what is a general custom or myth in Japan but will do what I can to make a difference", and "Now I understood the importance of posture management and there is time with the connection to posture management outside of my own involvement".

In general, there are many positioning seminars for the elderly only, but there are no other positioning seminars for adults and children both, and we learned that participants' expectations were high.

We were happy to hear that the seminar helped them to clarify what they had been feeling a bit confused about and to move forward in a better direction, even if only a little. We think many of the participants were nodding their heads as they listened to the seminar. We can't see what is behind the camera, but that is how we felt at the online seminar.

-Afternoon Session- 13:00-16:00 Practical Positioning Training

In the afternoon, we moved the venue to our showroom for a positioning practice by using Lasal Cushions.

After all, the seminar was an irreplaceable experience for us to meet face-to-face and each others' physical atmosphere. The participants confirmed the positioning of each part of the body and experienced how to use the cushion to receive and release the weight of the body in order to avoid bad influences on each other, and many times they said "Oh, I see".

We positioned the cushion with the idea of releasing gravity, which we do not feel on a daily basis and the weight that users and children feel in their daily lives while using the cushion. After experiencing a relaxed state (almost zero gravity) with the Lasal Cushion that cannot be experienced with other positioning cushions, you can do feel the weight of your body without the cushion.

Such an experience helps us to understand the condition of the elderly patient and the children, such as where they feel the weight and how can we help them position their bodies more comfortably.

We believe that this experience is only possible because of the Lasal Cushion that takes the weight well. We hope those who were not able to attend this year's event will be able to experience it for themselves.

Video of the practical training-

Future Assistance

Through this seminar, we will continue to work with you to provide support in reducing the negative elements and increasing the positive elements from the patients' lives as seen in 24 hours.

We should not take it for granted that deformities are inevitable or that contractures are natural, but will work together with everyone to maintain a patient's body soft as much as possible, create an environment that helps their bodies move more comfortably, and spread postural management for these activities.

Thank you everyone who participated the seminar. We will be happy if we can continue to move forward together for the future of our children.