Effects of Mattress Material on Body Pressure Profiles in Different Sleeping Postures

Abstract

Objectives: This study compared the body contact pressure profiles of 2 types of mattresses: latex and polyurethane.

Methods: Twenty participants were required to lie down on the different mattresses in 3 different postures for 6 minutes, and their body contact pressure profiles were recorded with a pressure mat sensor.

Results: The data indicated that the latex mattress was able to reduce the peak body pressure on the torso and buttocks and achieve a higher proportion of low-pressure regions compared with the polyurethane mattress.

Conclusions: Latex mattress reduced peak body pressure and achieved a more even distribution of pressure compared with polyurethane mattress across different sleeping postures.

Keywords: Beds; Posture; Pressure Ulcer; Sleep; Supine Position.

Figures

Fig 1

(A) Regions identified in the pressure mat sensor for the back posture. (B) Regions identified for the side posture. (C) Regions identified for the back posture.

Fig 2

Pressure distribution for the back posture at the (A) buttocks region and (B) torso region. psi, Pounds per square inch.

Fig 3

Pressure distribution for the side posture at the (A) buttocks region and (B) torso region. psi, Pounds per square inch.

Fig 4

Pressure distribution for the front posture at the chest region. psi, Pounds per square inch.

Fig 5

Average peak pressure for the back posture where the vertical lines above the plots represent standard deviation and * indicates a significant difference with P

Fig 6

Average peak pressure for the side posture where the vertical lines above the plots represent standard deviation and * indicates a significant difference with P

Fig 7

Average peak pressure for the front posture where the vertical lines above the plots represent standard deviation and * indicates a significant difference with P