The VALLEY® Cushion

The VALLEY® Cushion: therapeutic cushion for perineal pain

The VALLEY® Cushion is a non-invasive pain management system marketed in the United Kingdom by UT Care Products Ltd, the company that owns the VALLEY® registered trademark. The product is offered both for sale and for hire, with next-day delivery as stated on the website itself.

Indications and clinical uses

The cushion is aimed at patients with perineal pain or discomfort. The company lists among its applications post-operative care of surgical wounds, care after childbirth (episiotomies, tears and bruising), rectal surgery (APER), perineal radiotherapy reactions, prolapse, haemorrhoids, coccyx pain and other perineal conditions.

According to the information on the website, the design aims to promote circulation, encourage lymphatic drainage and support wound repair, with the goal of contributing to faster recovery.

Presence in the healthcare system

The company notes that the cushion is widely used across the NHS, including in areas such as colorectal and stoma care, oncology, radiotherapy and postnatal care. It adds that service providers report that the majority of patients with perineal pain and discomfort benefit from using it.

The website includes a testimonial from a senior occupational therapist, who highlights the cushion's level of positional support and contrasts it with solid square, gel or foam cushions, which patients with severe pain in the pubic area cannot tolerate. According to this professional, the cushion allows those patients to go out and sit elsewhere.

Origin and development of the product

The design of the cushion arose from the collaboration between two founders of UT Care Products Ltd: Professor Ian Swain and Senior Research Nurse Peter Lowthian. Lowthian had designed years earlier a foam cushion with a central channel to relieve pressure on the perineum; pilot studies were encouraging, but a commercial version was never produced.

Independently, Ian Swain developed a cushion with the same goal after his wife had an episiotomy following the birth of their first child. Given the good result, he sought a commercial partner. The two met and designed and built the first prototype before the birth of the Swains' second child. That prototype worked far better than the previous one and gave rise to the current VALLEY® Cushion. The company states that it maintains the original design and specifications, scientifically and clinically proven as a non-invasive pain management system.

Catalogue and accessories

The website structures its offering around two models, The VALLEY® Cushion and The VALLEY®-SV Cushion, along with sections dedicated to the cushion design, delivery options, medical conditions and a comparison with the ring-shaped cushion. It also includes instruction videos and its own YouTube channel.

Among the accessories is a carrier bag for the cushion. The shop indicated that it could be added to the order and a discount code applied to obtain it at no cost.

Distribution and sales contact

The company has a distributor in Ireland, to which it redirects from its website. The information and sales office can be reached on 01623 400661 and at info@thevalleycushion.co.uk.