Many companies advertise orthopedic mattresses. What does “orthopedic” mean?
Orthopedic means “related to orthopedics.” Orthopedics is defined as “the branch of medicine dealing with the treatment of deformities, diseases, and injuries of the bones, joints, muscles, etc.” (Webster’s New World Dictionary) The term “orthopedic” has been misused in many advertisements, especially with sleep-related products, because it has come to be used as a synonym for “hard” or “extra firm” mattresses. Always ask yourself why an advertised mattress should give you better structural support in all important body zones. An orthopedic mattress, in the correct sense of the word, is one that permits the skeletal system, joints, muscles, etc. to lie at perfect rest, without pressure points that damage the natural state of the body, causing pain or forcing muscles to contract.
