What is a major modifiable risk factor for pressure ulcers?

• A. Immobility
• B. Age
• C. Gender
• D. Hair color

Answer: (A)

Limited movement leads to prolonged pressure on skin and underlying tissue, which reduces blood flow and causes tissue damage that can become a pressure ulcer. The key to prevention is modifiable action: regularly turning and repositioning the person, using pressure-relieving surfaces, and assisting with safe movement to relieve sustained pressure. These interventions directly change how long and how intensely areas like the sacrum, heels, and hips are pressed, making immobility the most actionable risk factor to address. Age, gender, and hair color don’t influence the pressure mechanics or the ability to relieve pressure, so they aren’t targets for preventing pressure ulcers in the same practical way.