As a chiropractic physician my recommendations are made based on a variety of factors including spinal biomechanics, research evidence and practical considerations such as ease of advice implementation and cost particular products. I would like to disclose that, although I may get a referral fee from some of the items advertised or reviewed, this will never impact the integrity of my reviews or recommendations. I hope you find my recommendations useful; however, if you have a specific spinal problem or condition, and have not yet done so, it is recommended that you contact your qualified health care provider for recommendations that may apply to your particular case.
Peter C. Spathis, DC
The Best Mattresses To Help Relieve Back Pain
Before considering a specific mattress to help relieve back pain and morning stiffness, or just provide more restful sleep, it may be useful to review some general factors that are important for optimizing comfort and spinal alignment through the night.
The first recommendation is that most people should avoid sleeping on their stomach. The problem with stomach sleeping is two-fold; in addition to allowing the lower back (lumbar spine) to hyperextend during sleep, in requires a person to have their head turned to one side to allow them to breath. This takes the neck out of the neutral position and places unnecessary stress on spinal structures. People that prefer to sleep on their stomach can usually transition to sleeping on their side without too much difficulty. This position allows one to maintain better spinal alignment; however, the following advice applies: side sleepers generally need a pillow that is thicker than the pillow used by back sleepers. The pillow should be thick enough to allow the head to stay in line with the rest of the body - a pillow that is too thin allows the head to fall towards the mattress while one that is too thick will push the head up too high. Side sleepers may also benefit by keeping a thin pillow between their knees; this may also help avoid rolling the hips toward the mattress and twisting the lower back.
For those that sleep on their back, a thinner pillow is generally recommended; this will usually help keep the neck in a better position. A exception may be a person with a severe forward curve of the upper back such as an older person with thoracic compression fractures due to osteoporosis; this situation results in a "hyperkyphosis" of the thoracic spine which will likely require a thicker than usual pillow for back sleepers to avoid having their head hyperextend backwards during sleep. Specific requirements for this population should be discussed with their health care providers.
Finally, the degree of firmness of the sleeping surface should be considered. Many people believe that the most firm mattress possible is the best choice; however, this is not supported by the research or my own experience with my patients. For most people a mattress that is firm but not the most firm that it can possibly be is the best choice. A good starting point then would then be a "medium firm" mattress with a little more or less firmness depending on individual preferences and physical characteristics, such as bodyweight, with heavier people usually requiring a slightly more firm mattress.
As people come in different sizes, structures and preferences, the "best mattress" for one person may not be the best mattress for another. This makes it difficult to have one perfect "chiropractic recommended mattress" for everybody. However, with the above considerations in mind, I believe the following mattresses would be a good choice for a large percentage of the population to help relieve back pain and provide proper spinal support while they sleep.
This Sweet Night mattress is described as a "memory foam hybrid mattress". It has multiple layers, each with a specific purpose. The top layers include high density foam that sandwiches a gel memory foam layer. Under these top layers is a layer of individually wrapped "pocket springs" that help reduce bounce to different parts of the bed. The combination of layers is designed to provide support with enough "give" to still be comfortable as well as dissipating body heat. This mattress comes rolled up and compressed in a box so be sure to allow time for adequate decompression before use - the manufacturer recommends 72 hours for this particular product. The link provided is to the 10 inch thick king size version; however, a 12 inch thick mattress as well as queen and full size choices are also available through this link.
Casper has a variety of mattresses that have become very popular lately. This particular one is a little more firm then many other similar mattresses and a good choice for a large percentage of the population with regard to being able to handle a variety of body weights while maintaining a good balance of comfort and support. The link provided is for a queen size mattress but a variety of sizes are offered from twin to king and even a california king for those who prefer these dimensions (please click on link to review details). As this foam mattress is shipped in a shrink wrapped state, it is recommended that it be allowed 1 day to fully expand prior to use. The competitive price and great overall customer reviews make this product worth considering.
This Tuft and Needle product is a hybrid mattress with layers of foam and "pocket coils" similar to the design of the Sweet Night mattress described earlier. The intent is to provide a mattress that is somewhere in between a traditional spring mattress and memory foam mattress in an attempt to retain the desirable features of each mattress type while minimizing undesirable qualities. Being similar to the Sweet Night mattress, 72 hour period of decompression is also recommended for this one prior to use. In my opinion either mattress would be a good choice for most people so take a look at both and compare specifications to see which one you personally prefer.
