ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Want to reduce your back pain and stiffness? Try a new mattress.


That’s one of the more significant findings of what bedding leaders are
hailing as a “groundbreaking” bedding study that was conducted at Oklahoma State University.

The study, published in the winter issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, supports the importance a new mattress provides in lowering back pain and stiffness. And it notes that improved sleep quality and overall comfort also resulted when consumers tried new bedding.

The study was titled “Subjective Rating of Perceived Back Pain, Stiffness and Sleep Quality Following Introduction of Medium-Firm Bedding Systems.” It is getting rave reviews from bedding leaders.

“This is fantastic news for the mattress industry,” said Kerry Tramel, chairman of the International Sleep Products Assn. and president of bedding producer Lady Americana. “Consumers now have definitive research that underscores the health benefits of sleeping on new bedding systems.”

ISPA, based here, recently sent a news alert to its members highlighting key findings of the study.

Studies like this are seen as critical as the bedding industry aims to shorten the mattress replacement cycle and boost sales of new bedding. The sale of more beds would help bedding producers and retailers, of course, but it would also benefit consumers, bedding insiders say.

The independent research was carried out under the direction of the School of Applied Health and Educational Psychology at Oklahoma State University. Support for the OSU work was provided by ISPA, the Better Sleep Council of Canada, and the European Bedding Industry Assn.

The sleep surface researchers studied a control group who slept on their own mattresses and then slept on new medium-firm bedding. The variables studied included lower back discomfort, spine stiffness, sleep quality, sleep comfort and sleep efficiency.

In each variable, OSU researchers found “significant improvements” when the test subjects slept on new beds. For example, participants with high back pain reported a 63% improvement in back discomfort.

“Subjects realized immediate and sustained benefits in all areas of measurement from the new bedding systems and the perceived benefit amplified with each week of reporting,” the Journal said.

The age of the participants’ original mattresses, which was one of the stronger predictors of back stiffness, was five years or older.

“We are very excited about the OSU findings and the fact that the study has been published,” said Dick Doyle, ISPA’s CEO. “This is one of the many step