There are several different types of orthopedic mattress, in this article we shall look at each of them.
We will start by examining the two most common types of orthopaedic mattress: those with a spring structure – open and continuous coil or pocket spring mattresses and those with an orthopaedic foam structure – latex foam and memory foam mattresses.
Open and continuous coil or pocket spring mattresses
The type of mattress that most of us are used to is this type of mattress. They are cheap and practical for a basic regular non-orthopaedic mattress, hence they are the de facto mattress type that most people will choose to buy when buying a new mattress.
These types of mattresses will usually be composed of a spring structure that is about six coils high. The structure is strengthened by supporting helical wires that run along the top and bottom of the coil structure to create a connected frame that will better support the integrity of the spring coil structure overall, which is required in order for the person resting on the mattress has his or her weight evenly distributed throughout the mattress, in order that one part of the mattress doesn’t quickly break down.
With an orthopaedic version of this mattress it will feature an enhanced design, with the empty space inside the mattress filled with fabric and possibly supported by memory foam to provide the orthopaedic comfort and support required by someone looking for an orthopaedic mattress.
Memory foam mattress
Memory foam is a material that more and more people are becoming aware of as word about the benefits of this material spreads. Memory foam is a material that responds to heat and pressure placed against it. This is different from a spring coil mattress in that the nature of spring is to provide resistance against any weight placed upon it. Memory foam is not designed to resist pressure, but rather it is designed to cushion pressure. The way a memory foam mattress works is that when a person lays on it, the mattress will respond to the weight of the person and heat of their body and it will slowly mould around the shape of that person’s body. The end result is that a cushioning effect is achieved, and some people have found the experience so comfortable that they describe it as providing the closest experience to sleeping on air. Memory foam mattresses are often sought out by people with orthopaedic conditions, because this material is known to be quite effective in providing support and comfort without aggravating any painful pressure points. It is also well-known for having a great ability for supporting healthy back and spine alignment while you rest on it.
Another benefit of memory foam is that many manufacturers are so self assured about the quality of this material, that they are happy to provide a 20 year warranty with the mattress.
Latex foam mattress
Latex foam is effectively an alternative to memory foam. It is particularly sought out by people that wish to have a mattress made from natural sourced material. Latex derives from the sap of rubber trees.
As mentioned latex foam is an alternative to memory foam. It works in the same way as a memory foam mattress, the main difference is that latex foam can feel more spongy than memory foam. This may be preferred by some and not by others. Another reason why people may go for a latex mattress over a memory foam mattress, is that a latex foam mattress is also cool to sleep on throughout the night. Memory foam is known to lock heat in, which obviously may become uncomfortable if sleeping on it in the middle of summer or a hot day in general. That said a number of manufacturers are now making memory foam with a built in airflow system, to help get rid of the problem of locking heat in. But of course the point here is that a latex mattress is already able to handle heat better by default.
Latex foam can be broken down into two types, which is named after the manufacturing process used. The original latex mattress foam is a Dunlop mattress. It is produced by a process developed by Dunlop. Due to the process used, some people feel that the quality of this type of mattress isn’t very good because the mattress ends up being softer at the top and firmer at the bottom, due to the manufacturing process used. Some people have described this as an advantage, being that they have a choice of whether to have a firmer or softer mattress to sleep on.
So it will not be surprising then to learn that the alternative latex foam mattress processing method, addresses this perceived shortcoming. This type of mattress is called a Talalay mattress. The processing method used to produce this type of mattress is designed to ensure that the mattress is evenly firm throughout.
Waterbeds
most people have heard of a water bed at some point in their life, although at the same time not that many people choose to own one. Because it is filled with water, as you might expect, this type of mattress will create somewhat of a moulding effect as you lay on it. One of the drawbacks of course is that the nature of water is to ripple when weight is suddenly placed upon it. So some people can find a water bed a little disorientating as a first lay upon and then move around on the mattress.
Gel mattresses
this is basically an alternative to a water bed. It is desired because it does not have the issue of the ripple effect due to gel being a thicker material. By that same token, it is often found to be more supportive than a water bed too.
Air mattresses
an air mattress is perhaps mostly suitable for rooms that are short on the guest space. However, there are some versions of their beds that are manufactured specifically to be able to offer orthopaedic support. These mattresses employee a multi-pocketed system. How this works is that you can remotely inflate different areas of the mattress to customise the level of support offered.
Magnetic mattress pads
magnetic mattress pads are not that well-known, although you may still be more familiar with scene advertise mattress over the last decade for magnetic bracelets which argue that the magnetic field is produced by the bracelet may improve your well-being. So of course placing a magnetic mattress pad on top of your current mattress is supposed to offer you the same benefits. That is as you lie on your bed, the magnetic field will run through your body and help alleviate any discomfort that you would feel with the normal mattress.
Split mattresses
nowadays a number of people with a mattress designed to accommodate two people desire to have the ability to adjust half of the bed to suit one person’s sleeping needs. This type of bed is often described as a split bed. And of course if you have a split bed, then you will want a split mattress to ensure that each part of the mattress can appropriately be adjusted to contort into the appropriate shape dictated by the adjustment of the bed. Several of the above defined mattress types are available in a split mattress configuration.