Alternating pressure mattress is a great way to relieve stress from your body after a tiring day at work. They help distribute your weight evenly, provide you a comfortable surface to sleep on, and moreover, they ensure maximum support for all your joints and muscles, no matter your favorite sleeping position. This ensures a perfect sleep and maximum relaxation to all your joints and muscles. You also get to maximize your comfort by alternating the inflation and deflation cycles, depending on your convenience. Let’s take a look at our top 10 picks for the best alternating pressure mattresses currently available on the market.
Also read our latest guide about the best bamboo mattress toppers.
Top 10 Best Alternating Pressure Mattresses In 2024 – Chart
| Preview | Mattress Name | Advantages | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Invacare microAIR Alternating Pressure Low Air Loss Mattress System | Advanced 3-in-1 alternating function inflates and deflates cells HeelSense Technology Max Inflate Mode Cell in cell design | 4.2 |
| 2. Drive Medical Med Aire Low Air Loss Mattress Replacement System with Alternating Pressure | Combination therapy 8" mattress replacement system deep air bladders Nylon cover Cycle Time: 10 Minutes | 4.1 |
| 3. Drive Medical Med Aire Low Air Loss Mattress Replacement System with Alarm, 8" | Alternating pressure and low air loss Digital pump with diagnostic alarms Cell-on-cell design Removable 4 way stretch PU cover | 4.3 |
| 4. Meridian Ultra-Care II Hospital Bed Air Mattress For Bed Sores Treatment | ALTERNATING PRESSURE PAD FOR BED SORE PREVENTION STAY-FLATE CELL-ON-CELL DESIGN EASY-TO-USE 8 LITER-PER-MINUTE PUMP QUICK DISCONNECT CELLS EASY TO CLEAN PRESSURE RELIEF MATTRESS PAD | 4.1 |
| ALLEVIATES PRESSURE SPOTS AND BEDSORES VARIABLE PRESSURE AND FIRMNESS ULTRA-QUIET PUMP WATERPROOF VINYL COVER | 4.1 | |
| 6. Proactive Medical Low Air Loss and Alternating Pressure Overlay System | 16 laser air holes Removable, water resistant Non-skid cover | 4.3 |
| NYLON TPU CELL QUILTED TOP COVER ULTRA QUIET PUMP HOSPITAL GRADE NYLON COVER SAFE, FAST & EASY | 4.1 | |
| 8. Vaunn Medical Cloud Air Whisper Quiet Alternating Air Pressure Mattress Topper with Pump Twin | #1 DOCTORS RECOMMENDED REVOLUTIONARY AIR-LIFT TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED SLEEP WAVE THERAPY WHISPER QUIET PUMP WITH CUSTOMIZABLE CONTROLS | 4.4 |
| 9. Meridian Alternating Pressure Mattress with Electric Pump | PREVENT BED SORES INSTALLS OVER HOME MATTRESS INDUSTRY LEADING COMFORT DURABLE WITH 1 YEAR GUARANTEE | 4.3 |
| 10. Invacare Softform Premier Fluid-Resistant Homecare Bed Mattress, 80 x 36 x 6 in | excellent individual comfort and optimizes pressure reduction for individuals up Unique castellated cells Softform mattress covers | 4.5 |
1. Invacare microAIR Alternating Pressure Mattress
Overview
The Invacare microAIR alternating pressure mattress is our first choice in this category. The mattress comes with a 3 in 1 alternating cycle that helps inflate and deflate the mattress in a 3:1 ratio. It is also equipped with HeelSense technology, which actively releases stress and pressure from the vulnerable heel area. This makes it perfect for people suffering from orthopedic injuries, and that is in the rehabilitation process of their treatment. Furthermore, the 3:1 ratio of the inflation and deflation cycle will provide you with active stress relief by supporting ⅔ of your body at all times.
Additional Info
This means that you will be able to experience a comfortable sleep without any disturbance on the mattresses’ part while it continues with its cycle. Additionally, the mattress also has a maximum inflation mode that inflates it to its full capacity. This makes for easy transfer of patients from one bed to the other while reducing the risk of injuries drastically. The mattress uses a cell in cell design, which prevents extreme deflation during power outages, which can help keep you and your patients safe from excessive stress on their injuries.
Standout Features
HeelSense Technology: This technology is proprietary to the Invacare microAIR alternating pressure mattress. It helps provide active support to your heel area, which is the most vulnerable during times of injuries. The mattress can actively reduce or increase the pressure, which can help you find the maximum comfort according to the weight of your patient as well as the size of their body.
2. Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress Replacement System
Overview
Our next choice is the Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress. This mattress uses a combination therapy system to provide maximum support to your body. The mattress has a thickness of 8” and is capable of providing alternating pressure in all its areas to aid with rehabilitation depending on your needs and requirements. It even has a static pressure mode, that helps relieve stress and make the patient ready for normal mattresses in the future. It comes with 20 different cells, each of which is 8” deep. This helps provide additional support to your body and easy repair in case one of the cells is damaged with extensive use over its lifetime.
Additional Info
These cells also allow the Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress to rapidly deflate when you want to store it away during non-operational hours. The Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress also has a pillow function that keeps the first three cells of the mattress at a static pressure while providing alternating pressure in the rest of the 17 cells. This helps maintain an ideal sleeping position while ensuring maximum stress relief from the rest of your body. It has a nylon cover that is fluid-resistant, which helps with the cleaning and disinfection process of the mattress.
Standout Features
Whisper Quiet Pump: Nobody likes a loud pump, especially if it is going to be operational throughout the day. This is why the Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress uses a whisper-quiet pump that will simply hide in the background without producing any discernible noise during its operation. This will help keep your patients comfortable while providing you with virtually quiet operations.
3. Drive Medical Med Aire Low Air Loss Mattress Replacement System with Alarm
Overview
Next, we have the Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress with alarm. This mattress is made by the same company as our previous choice but comes with the addition of an alarm system. This system not only helps you store custom values in the mattress depending on the need of different patients but also helps inform you about any diagnostic failures in the process. It has two different modes, which include long care settings or acute settings for immediate treatment. The Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress with an alarm is ideal for managing skin maceration and relieving stress from your ulcers. The in-built mattress pump comes with its own programmable chip that will automatically switch to alternating pressure mode if the mattress is left on static mode for more than two hours by default.
Additional Info
You can change this time frame depending on your needs and the patient at hand, which can take away the hassle of manually switching modes. Just like other offerings on our list, the Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress with alarm has 8” deep individual cells that come with power outage protection for up to 24 hours. This helps prevent the risk of immediate deflation in case of your hospital/clinic/home experiences any power outages. It also comes with a pillow function and is equipped with a PU resistant cover that helps repel liquid and prevents the formation of bacteria.
Standout Features
Pillow function: The pillow function of the Drive Medical Med Aire Mattress with alarm keeps the first three cells of the mattress at a static pressure while allowing you to alternate pressure in the rest of the 17 cells depending on your needs and requirements. This gives you the ability to place your patient’s head on a raised pedestal, which will ensure maximum comfort while providing the rest of the body with alternating pressure treatment.
4. Meridian Medical Ultra-Care II Hospital Bed Air Mattress
Overview
The Meridian Ultra Care II is a premium alternating pressure mattress that is constructed using high-quality materials and top of the line engineering standards. It uses its in-built alternating function to help prevent pressure sores and skin problems for bedridden patients that have to lie on the bed for extended periods of time. It is also ideal for people that are suffering from severe injuries that require them to rest and avoid movements at all costs. It has 20 different cells that can manage their pressure individually. Each of these cells is 8” thick and is equipped with the industry-standard design, which helps prevent bottoming out in case of power loss. This helps the mattress provide ideal and maximum support to your body for up to 24 hours on a stretch in case of a power outage.
The mattress comes bundled with its own air pump that has a quiet operational mode, which helps prevent any disturbances during your sleep cycle. You also get a control panel at the front of the mattress that helps you easily switch between alternating and static pressure cycles. The alternating cycle is ideal for all-day use in order to help prevent pressure ulcers while the static mode helps you provide a firm flat surface for your patient. This is an ideal surface for trying out rehabilitation treatments, transfer to different beds, and in case you want a firm surface to sleep on for a change. As for the individual cells of the mattress, they have been designed in such a way that they can be quickly disconnected from the overall body of the mattress.
Additional Info
This helps you in two ways; the first one is to provide additional comfort to particular areas of a patient’s body depending on their ailment. And the second one is for easy replacement in case of a cell failure or damage to a particular cell. This helps prevent the extra costs of replacing the complete mattress. The Meridian Ultra Care II also comes with an easy zipper cover that is made from low shear nylon. This helps protect the inside of the mattress from sharp objects and liquid spills, which in the long run, help prolong the life of your unit.
Standout Features
LED-backlit panel: The operational panel on the front of the mattress helps you switch between different therapy models and control the pressure of your mattress. It is an LED-backlit panel that makes it easier to change settings in the dark without disturbing your patients. Additionally, the backlit panel allows you to seamlessly switch between the alternating pressure mode and static mode, which makes it easier for you to transfer patients to a different bed and try out new rehabilitation treatments as well.
5. Vive Alternating Pressure Mattress
Overview
Our next choice is the Vive Alternating Pressure Mattress that has an exquisite design and maximum functionality. The mattress is equipped with 16 sealed air chambers that provide you alternating individual pressure using the bundled pump depending on your needs and requirements. Each of these chambers is 5” thick, which helps relieve maximum pressure from your body, which in turn helps prevent pressure ulcers for patients that need to be on the bed for a long amount of time. You can select the exact pressure needed by you using the variable pressure control panel. This helps you get customized comfort for each of your patients, no matter their weight and size. Additionally, this variable pressure setting also helps you treat serious ailments and prevent skin problems in the long run.
You can switch between alternating pressure modes and even opt for the static mode in case you need to shift the patient to a different bed altogether. Along with the Vive Alternating Pressure Mattress, you also get access to its bundled ultra-quiet pump that helps keep the noise to a minimum while it is in operation. This helps prevent excessive noise levels during the resting period for your patients, which might end up causing them to be awake during the night, which could severely hamper the overall rehabilitation process. In addition to this, you also get a control panel with the mattress that displays the current air pressure being produced by the pump.
Additional Info
This helps keep the pressure consistent throughout the operation while making it easier for you to monitor its readings. You also get two non-marking hooks with the pump, which makes it easier to be attached to the footboard of your bed for easy manipulation of the air pressure whenever required.
Standout Features
Waterproof Vinyl Cover: In addition to its clever mattress design, the Vive Alternating Pressure Mattress also comes with a waterproof vinyl zipper cover that is easy to remove and apply. The vinyl cover has a latex-free construction, which helps prevent any allergic reactions to your patients. Moreover, it adheres to the surface of your mattress, firmly ensuring that it does not slide off in the middle of the night. The vinyl cover also allows for easy dissipation of heat, while the waterproof design makes it easier to clean liquids off of its surface.
6. Proactive Medical Protekt Aire Alternating Pressure Mattress Overlay System
Overview
The Proactive Protekt Aire Mattress is a cheaper alternative for people looking for a budget offering. It has 16 different laser holes that help regulate mattress temperature in order to keep the user cool and dry. This also helps eliminate liquid and prevents pressure ulcers in the process. The temperature regulation also allows you to provide your patient with a comfortable surface to sleep. The mattress comes with an antimicrobial zipper nylon cover that helps prevent the formation of bacteria.
Its removable zipper design makes it easy to clean while the water-resistant nature helps prevent the seepage of liquid into the deeper layers of the mattress. Additionally, the Proactive Protekt Aire Mattress also has non-shear protection, which prevents punctures and tears from sharp objects like keys, metal inlays on clothing, and zippers. This helps prolong the life of your mattress while ensuring that there is no abrupt tear, which could cause harm to the patient. Additionally, the mattress is also equipped with a CPR valve. This valve not only allows for stable inflation of your mattress but also gives you the ability to deflate it in case of emergencies rapidly.
Additional Info
This rapid deflation also allows you to easily remove and store the mattress in favor of alternatives in case of emergencies. It has 20 different individual air cells that allow for maximum weight distribution while providing adequate relief to all your joints and muscles. You also get access to a customizable dial on the control panel that allows you to adjust the air pressure depending on the needs of your patients in order to ensure maximum comfort. The pump will inflate and deflate the mattress at an interval of 10 minutes by default, which can then be adjusted by you using the control panel itself.
Standout Features
Spill & Shear Resistant Anti-Microbial Cover: The Proactive Protekt Aire Mattress comes equipped with a multifunction anti-slip cover. This cover prevents the mattress from sliding and moving around on metal beds while ensuring maximum comfort for your patients. The cover has a spill-resistant design, which makes it easier to clean in case of liquid spills while ensuring minimal seepage into the deeper layers of your mattress. The cover also has shear protection, which helps prevent tears from sharp objects that could abruptly damage the mattress and hamper its overall function.
7. MedVance Medical MedAir Low Air Loss Mattress with Alarm
Overview
Our next offering on this list is the Medical MedAIR Mattress that has a heavy-duty premium construction alongside a quilted cover for maximum comfort. The Medical MedAIR Mattress uses premium materials to provide you with maximum durability to protect itself against all kinds of daily wear and tear. Its top of the line construction also helps prevent liquid damage and ensures that none of it seeps into the deeper layers of the mattress. The quilted top cover is designed to provide your patients with maximum comfort while ensuring that each cell is filled with adequate air pressure. The Medical MedAIR Mattress comes with a digital pump that has in-built diagnostic alarms. This helps you adjust various settings, including the air pressure depending on your patients’ needs and requirements.
This makes it much easier for you to prevent and treat pressure ulcers while ensuring maximum comfort for your subjects. The Medical MedAIR Mattress system also has an in-built failsafe function that returns the mattress to its alternating pressure mode in case the mattress is kept on its static mode for more than two hours. This helps prevent excessive pressure on your valves in the long run, which prolongs their lifespan in the process. This mode also ensures that the mattress returns to its normal functioning settings in case the user forgets to turn off the static mode. With the Medical MedAIR Mattress, you get 8” deep thick cells of individual air pressure that help provide adequate weight distribution and maximum support.
Additional Info
This cell by cell design also gives the Medical MedAIR Mattress the ability to maintain its structure and air pressure in case of a power cut for up to 24 hours. You also get access to a pillow function that keeps the first three cells towards the headboard of the mattress at a static pressure while providing you with alternating comfort in the rest of the 17 cells. This further enhances the overall functionality of the Medical MedAIR Mattress while ensuring maximum comfort for your patients.
Standout Features
Pillow Function: The pillow function is a premium feature that is available only in a few top-of-the-line alternating mattresses that are currently available on the market. This function eliminates the need for additional pillows on the bedding by providing you static pressure in the first three cells of the mattress towards the headboard. This keeps the head of your patient at an elevation while providing alternating comfort to the rest of the body. You can then adjust the pressure settings for the rest of the cells using the control panel on the air pump according to the needs of the user.
8. Vaunn Medical Cloud Air Whisper Quiet Alternating Air Pressure Mattress Topper with Pump
Overview
The Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress is one of the most popular pressure relieving mattresses that are currently available on the market today. They are ideal for patients that have been prescribed extended bed rest. Its soft alternating airflow helps distribute the body’s weight evenly, which in turn ensures the prevention of pressure ulcers and more. The revolutionary Air-lift technology helps deliver even airflow throughout the air mattress, which promotes blood circulation throughout your body. Improper blood circulation to the strained parts of your body can lead to pressure ulcers and skin maceration.
The Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress helps prevent this by ensuring maximum blood circulation to all your limbs, no matter your sleeping position. The Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress is also fitted with its proprietary sleep wave technology. This technology uses 130 different proprietary air cells that inflate and deflate using pre-programmed software that uses external data to provide you maximum comfort. This gentle inflation and deflation process creates a wave-like pattern that helps distribute your weight evenly while promoting blood circulation throughout all your limbs. The Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress also comes bundled with its own proprietary pump that features whisper-quiet technology.
This helps keep the noise from the pump at a minimum while generating adequate air pressure. Having a whisper-quiet pump enables the Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress to blend into the background, which helps promote healing and a peaceful night’s sleep without disturbing your patient with unbearable fan noise seamlessly. Apart from this, the Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress is also equipped with a vinyl cover that is both spill-proof and antibacterial. This makes the top cover easy to clean in case of liquid spills and ensures that the liquid does not seep into the deeper layers of the mattress.
Additional Info
The antibacterial properties of the top cover help promote hygiene and prevent the formation of any microbes and disease-causing agents with continuous use over time. Every single cell of the Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress is treated and heat-sealed individually. This provides not only exceptional durability to the mattress but also ensures maximum airflow without the risk of any tears from sharp objects.
Standout Features
Whisper Quiet Pump: The Vaunn Cloud Air Mattress comes bundled with a whisper-quiet pump that helps keep the noise levels to a minimum when it is in operation. This helps the air pump blend into the background without disturbing the environment. Moreover, the whisper-quiet helps patients that have trouble falling asleep as well. It also ensures that people in nearby dormitories and rooms are not disturbed by the pump’s continuous operation for 24 hours.
9. Roscoe Medical Meridian Alternating Pressure Mattress with Electric Pump
Overview
The Meridian Alternating Pressure mattress is another top of the line offering that comes with premium construction and design. It is made from durable materials that help withstand the test of time and can take most daily wear and tear with ease. The mattress uses a dedicated air pump to fill individual cells with air and then alternates the pressure to relieve stress from your body. This alternating pressure also helps promote the blood circulation in your body, which in turn helps prevent pressure sores. The Meridian Alternating Pressure mattress uses a whisper-quiet pump that helps the mattress blend into your bed without creating any unnecessary noise.
This helps keep the noise levels of your bedroom to a minimum, which promotes a good night’s sleep. The mattress overlay can be installed over your existing bed’s setup, which eliminates the need to buy a new mattress and replace your old one. Additionally, the Meridian Alternating Pressure mattress is compatible with most modern day power outlets, which ensure compatibility with most households. Additionally, it uses 130 individual air cells that have been heat-sealed mechanically. Each of these cells fills up with air using the attached air pump and then alternates the air pressure to provide a comfortable surface for patients that have been prescribed prolonged bed rest.
Additional Info
The Meridian Alternating Pressure mattress uses premium vinyl construction, which helps repel liquid spills in case of an emergency. This ensures that there is no seepage into the mattress underneath, which saves you the trouble of cleaning your mattress every time. Additionally, the overlay also comes with straps towards the headboard and the footboard. This allows you to easily secure the Meridian Alternating Pressure mattress in place and prevent slipping and sliding when you are using it. The mattress also has an adjustable dial that lets you easily control the air pressure for a comfortable sleeping surface, depending on your needs and requirements.
Moreover, the Meridian Alternating Pressure mattress comes with one year of warranty that covers manufacturing defects and damages that may occur in the future. This helps protect your mattress against unwanted issues and allows you to get it fixed by the company totally free of cost for up to a year from the date of purchase. You also get access to top of the line customer support that can help you repair your unit even if it is out of warranty.
Standout Features
One-year manufacturer warranty – Unlike most offerings on this list that only come with 60 or 120 days of warranty, the Meridian Alternating Pressure Mattress is backed by a full one year warranty period. This helps protect your purchase against any unwanted damages and manufacturing defects for up to a year from the date of your purchase. You can also make use of their tried and tested customer support team to get your mattress fixed even if it is out of the warranty period. You can simply contact them on their customer support number, and an executive will get in touch with you. You can then proceed to describe your problem, and depending on the requirement; an engineer will soon be assigned to you. You can then relax and let Meridian take care of the rest of the process.
10. Invacare Softform Premier Fluid-Resistant Homecare Bed Mattress
Overview
Our last choice on this list is the Invacare Softform mattress, which is a budget offering. This mattress is available in three different sizes and a constant thickness of 6”. The ability to choose from different sizes allows you to find the one that best fits your existing bed without the need for buying an additional unit to support the mattress altogether. The Invacare Softform mattress is made from top of the line construction material despite its budget pricing, which ensures maximum protection against daily wear and tears. The durable construction also helps provide shear protection against sharp objects that would otherwise puncture normal day alternating pressure mattresses.
The Invacare Softform mattress also comes with additional support towards its edges. This support system allows you to get in and out of bed easily while ensuring that the mattress does not lose its rigidity with continuous use. The mattress also comes with removable covers that are machine washable. This allows you to easily clean the mattress in case of any liquid spills or stains. The cover of the mattress is also spill and liquid-resistant, which prevents any spillage from seeping down into the internals of the mattress. It comes with unique castellated cells that help provide adequate support to your body while ensuring maximum weight distribution across its surface.
Additional Info
The castellated foam structure also helps relieve stress from your joints and muscles over time, which helps prevent the formation of pressure ulcers. The keyhole cuts on the inside of the mattress help with easy airflow throughout its structure. This allows for easy temperature regulation in hot and humid environments, which is a step towards a comfortable sleep no matter your preferred sleeping position. All in all, the Invacare Softform mattress is an excellent budget choice for people that are not looking to spend exorbitant amounts on their alternating pressure mattresses.
Standout Features
Castellated foam structure: The castellated foam structure on the inside of the Invacare Softform mattress is supported by a single piece soft-foam U-core. This core helps provide additional edge support, while the internal castellated structure ensures maximum weight distribution. This maximum weight distribution property of the Invacare Softform mattress helps prevent pressure ulcers while ensuring maximum comfort for the patient. The castellations on the Invacare Softform mattress are constructed using a keyhole structure that promotes airflow through the mattress. This constant airflow helps dissipate heat and regulate the temperature of the mattress, even in hot and humid environments.
Why Buy An Alternating Pressure Mattress?
Alternating pressure mattresses are a must if you are going to be on the bed for a long time. They help promote blood circulation throughout your body, which helps prevent the formation of pressure ulcers on your skin. Most alternating pressure mattresses use individual cells or air pockets to promote airflow in your body. The way this works is that each individual cell is programmed to inflate or deflate at a particular time during each cycle. Once the cell inflates, it provides support to your body, and once it deflates, it helps reduce the pressure, which will allow the blood to flow in your limbs and body much more easily.
Many manufacturers have taken this property of alternating mattresses a step further by programming the pattern in which each cell inflates of deflates. Most companies use this property to create a wave-like pattern on the mattress, which not only allows for better blood circulation but also provides a comfortable rhythm that aids with better sleeping patterns. Let’s take a look at why you would need an alternating pressure mattress in your life.
A Severe Injury
An alternating pressure mattress is an ideal choice for patients that are nursing a severe injury, which requires them to be on the bed for prolonged periods of time. Most injuries require you to maintain a certain position, which helps aid with the rehabilitation process. This position can lead to excessive stress on other parts of your body, which could lead to the formation of pressure ulcers. Staying in a particular position could also hamper the blood flow to certain parts of your body, which could lead to nerve damage. To prevent the above, an alternating pressure mattress is highly recommended to people nursing severe injuries.
Prescribed Prolonged Bed Rest
If you have been prescribed prolonged bed rest by your doctor, then it would be a good idea to buy yourself an alternating pressure mattress. Prolonged bed rest can lead to excessive stress on your muscles. It can also lead to the formation of lactic acid between them, which can lead to severe muscle pain. You can also end up getting pressure ulcers if you do not change your position during the prolonged bed rest regularly.
Alternating pressure mattresses will help you avoid all these issues while giving you a much more comfortable surface to sleep. They will promote blood circulation throughout your body and prevent the formation of pressure ulcers even if you are sitting/lying down in the same position for hours at a stretch.
Good for Old Age
Maybe your movement is restricted due to your age or health complications might be forcing you to stay in bed, the alternating mattress will be a great choice for you. As the human body ages, many of the components that make up our joints, muscles, and tissues start fading away. This includes things like your immune system, cartilage, and tendons. Old age also makes your bones brittle, which can lead to severe injuries that force you to stay in bed.
An alternating pressure mattress will help distribute your body’s weight evenly across most of its surface. You will also get to enjoy a more comfortable surface to sleep on that will promote blood circulation in your body. The mattress will also help your muscles and tendons relax by constantly massaging them in a rhythm. This constant rhythm will also support your skin, while the alternating pressure will promote the flow of blood under it.
This will help prevent pressure sores that are a severe cause of distress for people that have to stay in bed for extended periods of time. So if you are getting old and your movement is severely restricted due to health complications that force you to stay in bed for long hours at a stretch, then an alternating pressure mattress will be an excellent choice for you.
What To Look For When Buying An Alternating Pressure Mattress?
Construction Material
Air pressure mattresses have to constantly balance the outside atmospheric air pressure along with their internal pressure generated by the dedicated air pump. This makes it vital that the seams of your mattress be reinforced along with its individual cells and outlets. Moreover, the overall material that your mattress is constructed from will have to manage this air pressure while constantly supporting your weight as it expands and retracts in certain places.
This constant retraction and expansion can lead to elasticity, which can ultimately cause tears if the proper materials are not used for the construction of your mattress. If you are new to the world of alternating air pressure mattresses, then your best bet would be to start off with mattresses made from highly reinforced vinyl simply. It is the most common material used in the construction of alternating pressure mattresses and can resist high amounts of stress without losing its original shape or forming any kind of tears and cracks. Vinyl is also resistant to spills and stains, which makes it easier to clean and helps prevent any seepage towards the deeper layers of your mattress.
Extra Functions
Many alternating pressure mattresses come with extra functionality built-in to them that will help enhance the overall experience for you. Some good examples include the likes of pillow function, water-resistance, and alternating rhythms. The pillow function allows you to program the cells towards the headboard of the mattress to be at a constant pressure while the other cells alternate their pressure. This helps you provide additional support to the cervical muscles of your patients while relieving stress from the rest of your body.
Similarly, many manufacturers take the alternating pressure functionality a step further by enhancing the rhythm and pattern in which the pressure alternates across the surface of the mattress. You can choose from a wide variety of options, including the likes of wave patterns, circular inwards patterns, circular outward patterns, V-shaped patterns, and more. These patterns can help focus on a particular area of your body that is extremely stressed and might need some extra attention.
Mattress Cover
You should always make sure that your mattress comes with an easily washable and replace mattress cover. This will help you keep the mattress clean on a regular basis and maintain all around hygiene. Some manufacturers include machine washable mattress covers as well that can be washed easily with modern-day detergents and washing machines. This helps take away the hassle of using dry cleaning equipment in order to clean the surface of your mattress.
Most mattress covers also feature shear proof and waterproof design. This helps prevent tears in the surface of your mattress, which helps prevent punctures and, in turn, prolongs the overall life of your unit by providing you with maximum durability. The waterproof properties of the top cover act as a barrier against liquid spills and contains the spill in a particular area rather than allowing it to seep further into the deeper layers of the mattress. This helps you save from the hassle of dry cleaning your mattress every time something spills on it.
Air Pump
Lastly, the air pump is a vital part of your overall setup. It will be in constant operation as long as you keep using the mattress and will be responsible for the overall functionality of your mattress. Hence, it would be an excellent idea to make sure that your choice of alternating pressure mattress uses a high-quality pump that can withstand the test of time. Make sure that the pump is of good quality and has been constructed from premium materials.
Ensure that the output of your air pump can easily support the capacity stated on the front of your mattress. You should also keep an eye out for the controls used by your air pump. Dials and physical buttons often tend to wear away as time passes. They end up losing their functionality in most cases and might break with heavy use. A good alternative is touch controls or buttons that come along with LED-backlit displays. This allows you to easily operate the pump at night as well while prolonging the overall life of your unit by the use of more durable control options.
Conclusion
We hope this guide helps you easily find the best alternating pressure mattress based on your needs and requirements. What did you think about it? Did we miss out on anything? Which mattress did you like? Let us know your views and opinions in the comments section below.
