Therapeutic mattress

1. A therapeutic mattress for supporting an entire body of a user in a prone position, comprising:

a base layer;

a first longitudinally extending foam sidewall extending upwards from one side of the base layer, and a second longitudinally extending foam sidewall extending upwards from an opposing side of the base layer, the first and second longitudinally extending sidewalls and the base layer defining a well;

a patient support layer positioned on the base layer and between the foam sidewalls in the well, the patient support layer having a plurality of separately zoned air cell sections extending from generally the first sidewall to the second sidewall, including a head zone adjacent a head end of the mattress, a foot zone adjacent a foot end of the mattress, and a seat zone between the head zone and the foot zone, wherein the patient support layer in the head zone comprises a first separate and independent air cell section extending generally from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, wherein the patient support layer in the seat zone comprises a second separate and independent air cell section extending generally from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, and wherein the patient support layer in the foot zone comprises a third separate and independent air cell section, wherein each air cell section has a bottom wall adjacent the base layer, wherein each air cell section is independently inflatable and deflatable to independently set and adjust an air pressure of each air cell section, and wherein each air cell section comprises a plurality of individual air cell members arranged in rows and columns and fluidly interconnected to be self-equalizing, each of the air cell members having a sidewall extending vertically from a bottom of the air cell member and terminating in a top wall of each air cell member, each air cell having a height extending from the bottom of the air cell member to the top wall of the air cell member, each air cell member of the air cell sections also being independently moveable in a plurality of directions, including the x, y and z directions, and the air cell members in the head, foot and seat zones being able to move independently from the longitudinal extending sidewalls; and,

a cover having an interior region covering the patient support layer.

2. The therapeutic mattress of claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises a foam bottom member.

3. The therapeutic mattress of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of separately zoned air cell sections comprises an array of individual air cells arranged in rows across a flexible base.

4. The therapeutic mattress of claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls are more rigid than the base layer.

5. The therapeutic mattress of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a lower encasing connected with a zipper to an upper encasing.

6. The therapeutic mattress of claim 5 , wherein the upper encasing comprises a urethane coated spandex.

7. The therapeutic mattress of claim 1 , wherein the base layer has a plurality of slices to divide the base layer into discrete sections.

8. The therapeutic mattress of claim 1 , further comprising a firm end wall at one end of the base layer.

9. A therapeutic mattress for supporting an entire body of a user in a prone position, comprising:

a base layer;

a first longitudinally extending foam sidewall extending upwards from one side of the base layer, and a second longitudinally extending foam sidewall extending upwards from an opposing side of the base layer, the first and second longitudinally extending sidewalls and the base layer defining a well; and,

a patient support layer positioned on the base layer and between the foam sidewalls in the well, the patient support layer having a plurality of separately zoned air cell sections extending from generally the first sidewall to the second sidewall, including a head zone adjacent a head end of the mattress, a foot zone adjacent a foot end of the mattress, and a seat zone between the head zone and the foot zone, wherein the patient support layer in the head zone comprises a first separate and independent air cell section extending generally from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, wherein the patient support layer in the seat zone comprises a second separate and independent air cell section extending generally from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, and wherein the patient support layer in the foot zone comprises a third separate and independent air cell section, wherein each air cell section has a bottom wall adjacent the base layer, wherein each air cell section is independently inflatable and deflatable to independently set and adjust an air pressure of each air cell section, and wherein each air cell section comprises a plurality of individual air cell members arranged in rows and columns and fluidly interconnected to be self-equalizing, each of the air cell members having a sidewall extending vertically from a bottom of the air cell member and terminating in a top wall of each air cell member, each air cell having a height extending from the bottom of the air cell member to the top wall of the air cell member, each air cell member of the air cell sections also being independently moveable in a plurality of directions, including the x, y and z directions, and the air cell members in the head, foot and seat zones being able to move independently from the longitudinal extending sidewalls.

10. A therapeutic mattress for supporting an entire body of a user in a prone position, comprising:

a base member and first and second generally firm upstanding longitudinally extending foam side walls connected at opposing sides of the base member to define a well; and,

a patient support layer within the well, the patient support layer having a plurality of separately zoned sections, including a head zone adjacent a head end of the mattress, a foot zone adjacent a foot end of the mattress, and a seat zone between the head zone and the foot zone, wherein the patient support layer in the head zone comprises a first separate and independent air cell section extending generally from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, wherein the patient support layer in the seat zone comprises a second separate and independent air cell section extending generally from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, and wherein the patient support layer in the foot zone comprises a third separate and independent air cell section, wherein the air cell sections in each of the head, seat and foot zones are adjacent the longitudinally extending side walls, and wherein the members of the air cell sections in each of the head zone, foot zone and seat zone are free to move independently from the longitudinal extending sidewalls, wherein each air cell section has a bottom wall adjacent the base member, wherein the therapeutic mattress has an overall footprint and wherein the patient support layer in each zone has a footprint that is approximately one-quarter of the overall surface area of the therapeutic mattress, wherein each air cell section is independently inflatable and deflatable with respect to the air cell sections in other zones of the mattress to independently set and adjust an air pressure of each air cell section, and wherein each air cell section comprises a plurality of individual air cell members arranged in rows and columns and fluidly interconnected to be self-equalizing, each of the air cell members having a sidewall extending vertically from a bottom of the air cell member and terminating in a top wall of each air cell member, each air cell having a height extending from the bottom of the air cell member to the top wall of the air cell member, and each air cell member of the air cell sections also being independently moveable in a plurality of directions, including the x, y and z directions.