An experimental study of friction between volar forearm skin and nonwoven fabrics used in disposable absorbent products for incontinence.

Incontinence-associated dermatitis is common among wearers of absorbent incontinence products and friction between product materials and skin is thought to be a contributing factor, but the details of its role are unclear. In this study, friction was measured between the dry volar forearm of 19 women (20-95 years) and five nonwovens typical of those in commercial disposable products. Euler's model/Amontons' law held to high precision for all person-fabric pairs for both static and dynamic friction, despite substantial variations in forearm size, soft tissue compliance and skin smoothness between subjects, sometimes substantial lateral contraction in fabric strips, and skin rucking beneath them.