Question

How to choose an orthopedic mattress?

Answer 1

How to choose an orthopedic mattress?
When buying new furniture for a bedroom or a children's room, most of the time an ordinary buyer spends on the selection of a wardrobe or bed, and practically does not think about choosing a mattress. Although the interior is the face of the apartment, do not forget that the sofa serves only for a short rest, and the wardrobe is for storing things, while each of us spends at least 6 hours on the bed every day. That is why special attention should be paid to the choice of a mattress, since a low-quality product will not only cause inconvenience, but can also seriously harm health.

What are orthopedic mattresses?
In fact, the concept of "orthopedic mattresses" is used only in everyday life of the population of the CIS. In Europe and the rest of the world, they only talk about the effect that the mattress has or does not have, that is, the depth of the orthopedic effect. We are used to thinking that an orthopedic mattress is the best type of mattress by default, so we buy them without thinking about unnecessary details.

Sellers - consultants call absolutely all mattresses orthopedic, but few can point out their specific orthopedic effect and explain how it is achieved. In fact, the mattress cannot be 100% orthopedic, although some unscrupulous manufacturers sew on an additional sticker, for example "Superortopedica".

This is due to the fact that demand gives rise to supply, since for a long time intermediaries demanded only orthopedic mattresses, themselves having a poor idea of what it really is. This is how the idea came about to make additional stripes, which, in essence, do not carry any semantic load. Now even the cheapest mattresses are considered orthopedic mattresses, and the more expensive ones are considered improved orthopedic mattresses.

Before you start choosing a mattress, you need to understand exactly what kind of effect it is - orthopedic. Orthopedics is a field of medicine, not a specialization in furniture making, so a mattress cannot cure back diseases. However, it can help to relax, relieve fatigue and tension, relieve the weight that puts pressure on the spine, which is possible only when the spine is located as naturally as possible. That is why the mattress should exactly follow all the contours of the back, not be too hard so as not to create additional pressure where it is not necessary, or too soft so as not to sag under the weight of the body.

The degree of the orthopedic effect directly depends on the extent to which the natural position of the spine is achieved. However, it should be borne in mind that different parts of the human body have different weights, therefore it is necessary to create such a system in which the load will be evenly distributed over the entire area of the mattress. To achieve this effect, various technological methods are used, for example, in spring mattresses, springs of different sizes are used, and in latex mattresses, different-sized holes are used.

It should be noted that a mattress consisting of a block of the same springs and a latex mattress with the same perforation will produce less orthopedic effect than their aforementioned counterparts. "Orthopedicity" of a mattress directly depends on its cost, therefore the most expensive models are recognized as the best. Depending on the type of filler, mattresses are usually divided into latex, foam, spring and many others.

Latex mattresses
Although latex mattresses have existed for a long time, they have become popular only recently. Latex is a natural material that is a foamed sap extract extracted from a rubber tree. Special processing allows to give this material the necessary structure, which in its structure is very similar to a honeycomb.

The main advantage of this material is durability, good dynamic and static properties, as well as resistance to damaging environmental factors. Due to the special air ducts provided in the mattress device, it is well ventilated, which is especially important in cases where it is used for seriously ill people. Currently, latex mattresses are recognized as market leaders, but their high cost frightens off many potential buyers. This price is due to the use of natural material, which is always expensive.

If you still want to buy a latex mattress, but funds do not allow, turn your attention to artificial latex mattresses. In terms of properties, these mattresses are in many ways not inferior to their natural counterparts, although they are not as durable. It is with latex mattresses that the maximum orthopedic effect will be observed, since for high-quality mattresses, the area is divided into different zones, in which there are different rigidity, which is most valuable for an orthopedic mattress. Latex mattresses in combination with other materials are equally popular, since such mattresses are more versatile.

Spring mattresses
Despite the popularity of latex mattresses, spring mattresses are still the most common model. The main thing that such a mattress consists of is a spring block. In theory, the spring block can be made from a single block or separate independent springs. If the mattress is made on the basis of a solid block, then bonel springs are most often used for it, that is, double-cone springs, which have 4 or 5 turns. It is from the characteristics of the spring that the quality of the mattress will ultimately depend, so you cannot save on them. A mattress using low-quality springs will quickly deteriorate - it will shrink or be too soft.

In addition, it is possible to manufacture the spring unit using independent pocket-type springs. This means that each individual spring, which has a cylindrical shape, will be inserted into separate special pockets, which are then sewn together in a special way. The most basic and obvious advantage of this method of fastening the springs is that due to the absence of a direct connection between the springs, they cannot creak, and each zone has its own control. It is not at all necessary to use large springs, it can be springs of a rather small diameter. The more springs, the more elastic the mattress will be, which immediately adds a few extra points to it when compared with other models.

Point elasticity is precisely the characteristic that shows how much the mattress "bends" under each separate section of the spine. The lower the point elasticity, the worse, since such a mattress will simply sag in a single sheet and will not be able to relieve the muscles of the back and spine. It should also be borne in mind that in such mattresses, springs with different stiffness can be used, which also has a positive effect on enhancing the orthopedic effect.

The next component of the innerspring mattress is the spreading filter. This filter acts as a kind of partition that protects soft flooring materials and mattress upholstery from damage from springs. For a long time, the most effective popular material for a filter was sackcloth folded several times, and although modern industrial development has made it possible to create materials similar in properties. Some manufacturers use burlap to this day. In modern production, thermopressed felt or spunbond is used, and sometimes both materials at once.

The filler is one of the main parts of the mattress, as it is everything that is between the upholstery and the spring block. Thanks to the filler, the mattress can be easily made harder or softer without additional manipulation. The most commonly used materials are foam rubber, felt, batting, coir and horsehair. Of these, batting is the lowest quality, as it is prone to rolling and has low elasticity.

Foam rubber is much more elastic and resilient than batting, especially when it comes to latex-like materials. But the use of such materials is quite costly, so manufacturers prefer foam with a lower density. Of course, this immediately affects the quality of the Mattress fillerproduct, because such a mattress will quickly sag, and the filler will crumble. The use of foam rubber makes it possible to adjust the thickness of the mattress without much effort, but it has one serious drawback - the foam rubber quickly absorbs moisture. Latex and horsehair are the best fillers, but they are also the most dangerous as these materials can cause allergies in many people. That is why recently there has been a tendency to replace horsehair with coir.

Upholstery is the “face” of a mattress, and many of us choose mattresses not for their characteristics, but for the color and pattern of the upholstery. The best upholstery fabrics are jacquard fabrics, but the cost is quite high. Their high quality is due to the special dense weaving of the thread, and such fabrics can be made from cotton, synthetics or mixed materials. Natural material is more pleasant to the touch and beautiful, while synthetic material is more durable and durable, so to reach a compromise, it is better to choose a fabric that is 60 percent cotton and 40 percent synthetic. A mattress upholstered with synthetic fabric will not be very comfortable, since the hard material will not allow you to relax well.

The worst mattresses are those covered with flock, as this material impedes air circulation and does not absorb moisture. The mattress can have a quilted or button design, a lot also depends on this. In a quilted mattress, the surface fabric is stitched together with non-woven or padding polyester, in some cases with quilted and filling, if a material prone to migration is used. In a button mattress, the material is not stitched, but fastened with two buttons and a lace. As a rule, the quality of such products is lower than their quilted counterparts, since over time the layers of material shift, and there is no way to correct them.

Answer 2

Tricks of the manufacturers of orthopedic mattresses

Despite the fact that there are approved technologies for the production of mattresses, rarely any manufacturer does everything according to the instructions, because this significantly increases the cost of the mattress and, accordingly, reduces its profit.

Most of the spring mattresses are manufactured using blocks of double cone springs of the "bonnel" type. It is best not to use manual assembly for such mattresses, since, despite the low cost, it cannot provide the necessary rigidity of fixation, which quickly leads to deterioration of the structure and the appearance of a squeak. In this case, it is generally impossible to talk about the orthopedicity of the mattress, but, unfortunately, it is impossible to reveal this trick when buying, since everything manifests itself only over time.

If four-coil springs are used, not five-coil springs, then this means that the manufacturer saved about 10% of the cost of the mattress and, in fact, put the difference in his pocket. Such a mattress also cannot bear the proud name of orthopedic, since its elasticity is low. Thickness should be the identification mark, as a four-coil mattress will look flat. A high-quality mattress physically cannot have a thickness less than 17-18 cm, and better - 20-22 cm. At the same time, you should pay attention to the fact, due to which the thickness of the product is achieved - for this you need to squeeze the mattress all the way, and its thickness should not be less than 15 cm.

In a good mattress, the number of rows of springs coincides with the width of the mattress in decimeters, that is, if the width of the mattress is 150 cm, then there should be 15 rows. number of springs are given for "improved", and additional fees are charged for "improvements". You can check this all by measuring the bend of the mattress in the position on its side, standing against the wall. A high-quality block will not bend much under its own weight, which means that the bend will be no more than 25 cm.

One of the most common exchange options is the use of sub-quality flooring components. At first glance, it is quite difficult to feel any difference, because changes that produce low-quality material will occur after 2-3 months of operation. Of course, when buying a mattress, you need to pay special attention to the elasticity and evenness of the top layer, but only a professional can accurately determine a cheap product. The price of the mattress can also be a guideline, since there are no high-quality products for a penny.

Under the guise of taking care of the environmental friendliness of the mattress, many manufacturers replace synthetic winterizer and foam rubber with batting, but in fact this is pure savings. After all, none of them indicate that the elasticity of the batting is equal to zero, although this deficiency manifests itself rather quickly. The surface of such a product will not spring and lumps or bumps will soon appear, but this can only be checked as described in the previous case.

Recently, coir is becoming more and more popular material for mattresses. However, when purchasing a mattress with a coir, it should be borne in mind that high-quality coir is rarely used in domestic production, or the price of such a product is more than impressive. It should not be less than $ 160-170, otherwise it immediately gives out a low-quality product. After a fairly short time, a mattress with a low-quality coir will begin to crumble, it can smell bad, cause allergies, and there is no need to hope for special elasticity.

As mentioned above, the best material for upholstery is jacquard fabric, but instead of it, the buyer often receives a "calico" of domestic production. When making a purchase, it is almost impossible to determine the true nature of the material, only a specialist can do this, although the “fake” will not be highly durable and after a couple of months, if not weeks, stretches and snags on the fabric will be visible. Also, one of the signs of forgery can be increased electrification of the fabric, and even a small load can easily break it. The ideal material is Belgian jacquard, which contains more than 70% natural material. In the store, the fabric can be tested by rubbing it or pulling it a little - a high-quality material will not suffer any changes from this.

Non-quilted mattresses are the simplest and most affordable cheating method. At the same time, savings are made even at the production stage, and the service life of such products is relatively short. A point load strongly spoils the structure of the mattress and the inner layers begin to "crawl", which gives out a fake. The presence of a stitch can be checked with the naked eye, but you should also make sure that the seam is small enough, and the size of each cell does not exceed 2 square inches.

When buying a mattress, you should be especially careful, focusing on the names of series, collections and product classes. Different manufacturers use the same words to denote mattresses of completely different quality, and the buyer does not always notice this. When choosing a product from the catalog, the main thing that the consumer pays attention to is the price and name, and the detailed characteristics of each mattress are not studied. In fact, there is no general classification, so it is better to double-check the parameters and characteristics of the selected model before purchasing.

Considering all of the above, when buying a mattress, you should ask about the characteristics of the block (the number of springs and coils, the thickness of the wire used), the filling, whether glue is used, the characteristics of the upholstery material (composition and manufacturer), the presence of a removable cover and whether the mattress is quilted. Of course, choosing a product will take a lot of time, but considering that this is a purchase for many years, time can be sacrificed.
Good purchases!