What are tunneling and undermining commonly results of?

Tunneling and undermining in wounds are commonly results of shear forces and pressure. When shear occurs, it causes the skin to be displaced over the underlying tissues, leading to an injury that can affect various layers of the skin and tissue. This mechanism often results in the formation of deeper wounds that create tunnels or undercut areas beneath the wound edges.

Pressure, particularly over bony prominences, can decrease blood flow to tissues, leading to tissue ischemia and subsequent necrosis. When tissues die and break down due to sustained pressure, it can result in the development of undermining as the tissue integrity is compromised, creating pockets beneath the wound edges.

In contrast, while friction and moisture do contribute to skin breakdown, they are generally more associated with superficial wounds or dermatitis rather than the development of tunneling and undermining. Intermittent blood flow may affect wound healing but is not a direct cause of tunneling or undermining. Intertriginous dermatitis pertains to dermatitis in skin folds, which does not typically lead to the deep tissue injuries characterized by tunneling and undermining.