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Pressure Sore Prevention

Medical air mattress systems are designed to improve blood circulation and reduce pressure points. When a patient is bedridden, it’s easy for their skin and body tissue to become susceptible to the formation of damaging pressure ulcers. Most pressure ulcers are preventable with therapeutic support surfaces, like pressure sore cushions, pressure relief mattresses and medical air mattresses for hospital beds. All are designed to reduce pressure on the body. PHC-Online carries a variety of different support surfaces that mold closely to the body in order to redistribute weight and relieve pressure that can cause ulcers.

Choose a category:
Selecting a Support Surface:
We have several different therapeutic beds and overlays to best suit the patient’s needs. Shop our Group I category for products that work to distribute pressure. Shop our Group II selection for therapeutic ulcer treatments that focus on skin moisture management and circulation. For patients using a traditional non-hospital bed frame, we have several in-home support styles available in twin, full, queen and king sizes. Ensure ultimate comfort and pressure ulcer prevention with support surface therapy from our product selections.

Types of Therapeutic Support Surfaces:

Group I designed to aid in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.
  • Gel Overlay - Uniformly distributes pressure and reduces friction and shear with gel bladders inside a foam core. Designed to be placed directly of an existing mattress.
  • Foam Mattress - Multiple layers of foam for maximum pressure reduction. Designed to be placed directly on the existing bed frame.
  • Alternating Pressure Pad Overlay - Alternates inflation and deflation of cells to constantly change pressure points. Designed to be placed directly on top of existing mattress.

Group II for pressure relief, skin moisture management and pressure ulcer therapy:
  • Alternating Pressure Mattress - Alternates inflation and deflation of cells to constantly change pressure points and promote circulation.
  • Low Air Loss Therapy - Floats patient on air-filled cells while circulating air across the skin to reduce moisture and help maintain a constant skin interface pressure "True Air Loss" utilizes 100-150 liters of air per minute to maintain normal skin temperature and moisture levels, yet will not dry out therapeutic dressings.
  • Lateral Rotation Mattress - Constantly rotates the patient from side to side cyclically change pressure points. Reduces risk of pulmonary complications, stimulates gastrointestinal tract, improves circulation and provides pressure relief without disturbing the patient.
  • Non-Powered Pressure Reduction Mattress - Channels air through cells for maximum patient immersion.

In-Home Style for finding support surfaces for Full-size, Queen-size beds. This is a small category of mattress systems that fit beds other than twin-size hospital beds.


Shop for foam & innerspring mattresses here: Standard Hospital Bed Mattress

See the Span-America Mattress catalog of Foam and Air Therapy Mattress Systems.

Full-framed products or specialty beds are the high end of the specialty-surface spectrum. Some require an electric pump and are used as treatment products. The three basic groups are high air loss, low air loss, and kinetic therapy. Whereas kinetic therapy beds were originally created as a skin treatment product, they are now used in the acute care setting for the treatment of pulmonary conditions and spinal fractures (ex: ROHO Dry Floatation, MATTSYSC). High and low air-loss beds have been designed to provide pressure relief for patients who may not be turned or who have Stage 3 or 4 pressure ulcers on more than one turning surface.

Support Therapy Primer


Start here: Learn how Low Air Loss, Alternating Pressure and Rotational Mattress works

Therapy Mattress Diagram


PHC's selection of quality mattress systems is the best and most reliable you'll find anywhere. We back up the products we sell with excellent service and an incredibly knowledgeable staff, so you can be confident that any therapy mattress question you may have will be answered by experienced professionals.

Pressure Sore Info

Read more about skin breakdown and pressure sores.