Paraplegic body-support pressure on convoluted foam, waterbed, and standard mattresses

Abstract

Comparisons were made between body-support pressures obtained when 15 male paraplegics laid on waterbed, foam, and standard mattresses. The variables examined were mattress, bone prominence, and time. The major findings were that the waterbed, in comparisons with the other mattresses, yielded significantly lower occipital, scapular, and sacral pressures at 5, 20, and 35 minutes.