A pressure-relieving mattress is designed to prevent excessive force on vulnerable areas of the user’s body.
All mattresses have a certain level of resistance. This helps to support you whilst you rest and allows the mattress to return to its original shape when not in use.
How a Spring Mattress Works
When you lay on a mattress, your body sinks into it. A spring-based mattress relies on spring tension to return to its normal shape. The weight of your body forces the springs to compress and when that weight is relieved, the springs return to normal.
A spring mattress generally grants more resistance than one made of foam. The springs force against the body waiting to return to their original shape. On more prominent areas of the body, this can amount to uncomfortable levels of pressure.
How a Foam Mattress Works
Most retail mattresses are referred to as memory foam mattresses. However, these mattresses aren’t made entirely from memory foam. A mattress made entirely from memory foam would feel too soft. It wouldn’t offer an adequate level of resistance in order to provide support.
Most foam mattresses are a hybrid of multiple foam grades. Some contain 2 layers of foam, some contain more than this.
Traditionally, a memory foam layer will sit atop a thicker support layer of foam. This support layer will generally feel harder and offer more resistance than memory foam does.
Memory foam is unique in that it is a temperature reactive type of foam. The scientific name for it is “viscoelastic” polyurethane foam or low-resilience polyurethane foam. Memory foam reacts to your body temperature causing it to soften and mould to your unique shape.
Benefits of a Pressure-Relieving Mattress
By using specialist foam cutting techniques, we can enhance the pressure-relieving capabilities of a foam mattress.
Our pressure relieving mattresses feature a two-way castellated cut. This helps to evenly distribute your body weight across the entire mattress surface. Less weight in certain areas means your body will experience less resistance on vulnerable areas.
Prominent or bonier areas of the body are at risk of developing pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers arise because of excessive friction and poor blood flow over long periods of time. Those who are required to spend a large majority of the day in bed are at risk of developing these.
Areas of the body at the highest risk of developing pressure ulcers include the back of the head, shoulders, elbows, lower back, buttocks, hips, inner knees and heels. Traditionally, carers would be required to roll an individual every so often to prevent pressure ulcers from developing.
Buy a Pressure-Relieving Mattress
GB Foam Healthcare specialises in the design and manufacture of pressure-relieving mattresses. We have a number of models to choose from including the Andromeda, Pegasus, Gemini and Phoenix. Each mattress comes fitted with a two-way stretch, vapour permeable, water-resistant cover. These covers are zipped for easy removal and can be laundered up to 70 degrees. Take a look at our full range here.
If you require any assistance with our pressure-relieving mattress range, please feel free to contact a member of our team. Visit our contact page or call 01494 441177.