Ratings > Mattresses and Bad Back Problems Unbiased Comparisons Based on 22,478 Owner Experiences Some mattresses perform significantly better than others in preventing / relieving pain, including back, hip and shoulder pain. Before discussing which are best, three interrelated terms are important to understand: support, conforming ability, and firmness. Support refers to how well a mattress keeps the sleeper's body on a flat and level plane. Owner experience data shows that support is a key factor in preventing and alleviating pain, especially back pain. Support can be undermined by excessive softness and excessive firmness – but it is most often undermined by sagging of the mattress. Sagging is the top complaint of mattress owners overall with at least 30% reporting a significant problem. Sagging occurs when part of a mattress, usually the middle, becomes compressed and lower than the rest. Sagging often puts a person's spine into an unnatural position – especially for side and stomach sleepers.
Consequently, mattress owner experience data shows a clear connection between sagging and pain, especially back pain. The greater the sagging depth the more likely it is that sagging will cause a person to have discomfort or pain in bed and possibly out of bed. * especially for side and / or stomach sleepers. It should be noted that despite the fact that back pain for many people may occur with less than 1.5 inches of sagging depth, many mattress warranties cover sagging only if it has a depth greater than 1.5 inches. Conforming ability refers to how well a mattress conforms or molds to the contours and curves of a person's body. A mattress has good conforming ability if all of one's body is supported equally by the mattress. A lack of conforming ability means there are gaps in support. The result can be that at least one part of the body – such as the lower back – is placed in an unsupported, unnatural and therefore stressed position which can cause pain.
A lack of conforming ability also often results in some parts of the body – namely shoulders and hips of side sleepers – feeling more pressure than other parts because of unequal support. Such pressure can be a source of significant discomfort. Having the right firmness is an important factor in preventing / relieving pain. Learn more: Mattress Firmness Guide & Comparison. The graph below shows the pain-relieving ability of the different mattress types based on actual owner experiences. The types that are better at reducing (back, hip and shoulder) pain are more supportive, less likely to sag and more likely to have effective conforming ability. Keep in mind that the chart represents what is often but not always the case; model or individual mattress may go against these findings somewhat. Sagging and loss of support (barring mechanical breakdown) is usually less of a problem with airbeds compared to most other bed types. And the air chambers inside an airbed provide at least fair conforming ability and allow for adjustable firmness / support to suit personal preference and sleep position.
Airbeds, however, with little or no comfort layer can be too firm on hips and or shoulders of small- to average-sized side sleepers. While memory foam mattresses can develop problems (sagging, excessive softness, and loss of support) these problems tend to not be as common or serious as they can be with innerspring-based mattresses (memory foam's main competition). Memory foam also provides good conforming ability for average- to large-sized people. Firmness levels tend to be mostly medium to medium-firm. Smaller-sized people may experience excessive pressure points as they tend to not exert adequate pressure on the mattress to benefit from the foam's conforming ability. Latex can develop body impressions and soften to some extent, but these problems tend to not cause widespread pain problems. Latex often conforms moderately to the body. Firmness tends to be medium to firm (but soft varieties are available). Hybrid mattresses often provide above-average support, but such support breaks down for at least 18% of owners within three years due to sagging.
Conforming ability tends to be good if at least two inches of memory foam is present. A variety of firmnesses are available. While waterbeds are often highly conforming, their support is questionable. At least 15% of owners claim that their waterbed causes back pain because of poor support. Firmness can be adjusted somewhat by adding or removing water. Innerspring mattresses often provide at least fair support, but such support breaks down for at least 20% of owners within three years due to sagging. Models with a significant comfort layer often provide fair conforming ability, while models with a minimal comfort layer often provide poor conforming ability especially for small- to average-sized people. Futon mattresses offer mostly fair support and conforming ability. Futons tend to be more firm than soft. While mattress support, mattress conforming ability, and mattress firmness are crucial factors for preventing / relieving pain, they are not the only factors. One's choice of pillow is important as well.
If your pillow – specifically its loft or height – is not compatible with your mattress – specifically its firmness level – then neck, upper spine, head and shoulder discomfort or pain are possible. See our pillow loft guide and calculators to learn how much loft may be best for you.If you suffer from chronic back or neck pain, you know just how difficult it is to get a good night’s sleep. Being in pain, in general, is enough to keep you awake, but back and neck pain can be especially difficult to sleep with. Your sleep position, pillows and mattress type can all have an impact on how well you sleep and how rested you feel upon awakening. If you’ve tried everything else, including seeking help from a physician, to alleviate your back and neck pain, it might be time to try a new mattress. Are firmer mattresses better for back pain? The short answer is no. If a hard mattress is uncomfortable, then it’s generally not relaxing the muscle of our back and provide the necessary support.
Many people wrongly believe that “extra firm mattresses” are the best mattress choices for chronic back pain. There is even an old wives tale that suggests sleeping flat on the floor is best for men with bad backs. In reality, an extra firm mattress is too firm for the average sleeper and may cause circulation issues and not properly support the curves of the human body in different sleep positions. Generally, a medium firmness is best to provide comfort and support to the curve of the human body in all of the positions we sleep in. Also, extra soft mattresses may cause a hammock affect, bowing instead of providing a neutral position to sleep in. If someone is exclusively a back or stomach sleeper and like a hard mattress, then an extra firm mattress may be best. If someone is exclusively a fetal position sleeper and loves the extra soft feel, then an extra soft pillowtop mattress may be best. Otherwise, choose one with an in-between feel! Have any scientific studies shown a mattress that is best for back pain?
The only company that has completed large-scale, scientific studies about their mattresses is Tempur-Pedic. Tempur-Pedic mattresses & adjustable beds have been shown to have a very high owner satisfaction rating. 94% of owners say they’re satisfied over-all with their Tempur-Pedic mattress (Blackstone 2011) and when compared to other companies it is very high indeed. Additionally, Tempur-Pedic mattresses include a trial period to test the mattress at The Bedding Experts. Other companies make ridiculous, unbelievable statements about their products solving back problems, none of which are backed by a real scientific study. Sleep Number, for example, claims that ‘93% experience back pain relief.’ This claim, used today in Sleep Number advertising, is based on a 1996 study of 30 individuals who were provided a Sleep Number adjustable bed to replace their coil mattress. The researchers reported “that most patients with chronic non-specific back pain will have improved sleep on the [Select Comfort] adjustable bed.”
The Sleep Number Beds claims are misleading in the least. So, is there a scientific study that shows a mattress is the best for helping back pain? No, but some mattresses help people sleep better overall, including those with back pain. It’s about finding the one that is comfortable for you that provides pressure relief, support, and is durable. What mattress types does Bedding Experts recommend for people with back pain? Firstly, we recommend consulting with a physician about any back related issues before thinking that a mattress will solve your back problems. The mostly highly recommend bed in America though is…you guessed it: Tempur-Pedic. In general, we recommend pressure-relieving mattresses that support a neutral sleeping position. Tempur-Pedic: Tempur-Pedic mattresses are the most popular mattresses in the world and have a very high consumer satisfaction rating. Not only do the statistics back up Tempur-Pedic’s claims, but in our personal experience we have had a lot of happy customers that were overjoyed with their Tempur-Pedic mattresses helping their back issues.
Tempur-Pedic is also the mostly highly recommend bed in America. Memory Foam: Memory foam is a very similar material to TEMPUR foam and is popular because it conforms to the shape of your body, providing comfort and support throughout the night. The Bedding Experts offers some of the best memory foam brands available today and we often recommend this memory foam mattresses if someone is interested in a pressure-relieving mattress, but don’t like the unique TEMPUR feel. Hybrid Mattresses: For our clients that don’t want to make the leap to an all-foam product and like the support structure and feel of a solid innerspring, but still want the pressure-relieving qualities of memory foam, we recommend a hybrid style Beautyrest or Posturepedic mattress. These products feature a supportive coil system below a comfortable layer of pressure-relieving memory foam. Proper Alignment for a Better Sleep and a Better Back Besides mattresses that offer a relaxing sleep surface for your back muscles to relax and your posture to be neutral, there are other options that really help with great sleeping posture.
Pillows – A pillow that is the right size is the most important. Choosing a pillow really takes two to determine correctly. Have the other person make sure your neck is straight while the curve feel supported. A pillow that is too thick or too thin can put pressure on neck and lower back. We also offer pillow fitting at our Chicago Mattress Stores. Adjustable beds – an adjustable bed can elevate your torso or feet to get the best possible sleeping position, thus reducing strain on your lower back and other parts of your body! This can also be a wonderful product to rest your feet and may be beneficial for those with sleep apnea, chronic heart burn, inflammatory conditions, and other ailments that may benefit from elevation of the legs or torso. Positional Pillows & Accessories – Other options include a knee pillows, wedges, body pillows, and other specialty sleep products that aid in proper sleep posture. Combine your new mattress, pillows, and sleep position products with good bedtime routine for the best results in alleviating back & neck pain!