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Back issues are an increasing problem in Britain, with government data indicating that nearly a million individuals are unable to work due to spinal and cervical ailments. Charitable organizations state that several million experience intense spinal discomfort each year. The causes of back problems are multifaceted, and various therapies frequently do not succeed to provide relief, particularly when discomfort is long-term and incapacitating.

While changing your bed may not cure long-term back pain, and medical professionals are the first to approach if pain affects quality of living, studies suggests that selecting the appropriate bed for your body type and resting posture can help. Personal experience verifies that using an ill-fitting bed may result in temporary backache, while switching to a better-fitting option often brings relief and better rest.

This guide will help you select the ideal bed for your back, whether you currently have discomfort or wish to prevent it. Professional opinions from bone and muscle specialists and sleep scientists have been incorporated, along with a close look at the frequently misapplied “orthopedic” label.

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Are Firm Orthopaedic Mattresses Best for a Bad Back?

Not always. Firmer does not always mean better, and the phrase “orthopedic bed” is largely marketing spin. Although bone specialists have addressed bone and muscle disorders for centuries, in the realm of mattress sales, the word “orthopaedic” has no medical authority.

“The term was invented by mattress manufacturers,” says a leading sleep scientist. “It was designed to sound medical, because at the time, physicians were advising people that a hard bed was best for a bad back. Newer research has shown this to be wrong, though.”

The idea that your spine needs a bed only a bit more cushioned than a hard surface has been discredited since at least 2003, when a prominent health publication stated that medium-firm mattresses had better outcomes for patients suffering from spinal discomfort. “Beds with medium firmness repeatedly perform best in studies into back pain,” explains an osteopath. “Comfort is as important as firmness, and medium-firm beds strike a better balance than firm or soft types. This assists to improve sleep as well as lessen discomfort.”

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Keep Your Spinal Alignment

The secret to maintaining spinal health and pain-free is “spinal neutrality”, as per medical researchers. Also called spinal alignment, this means the manner your backbone rests in a straight-ish line when you’re resting on a mattress that’s neither too firm nor too soft. It isn’t only about your spine, as well: your skull, cervical area and joints should all align properly, neither dipping down nor sticking up. If misaligned, you could suffer from back, neck and shoulder pain.

Your spinal muscles can’t fully relax on a bed that’s too firm or too soft, and you’ll soon notice the consequences, says a rest specialist. “When your spine is misaligned when you sleep, you’re engaging muscles at a time when they should be relaxing and recuperating from daily activities. The pains you feel from the occasional night of poor support are your tissues keeping you in that position when they should be resting.”

In the long term, spinal discomfort can also be caused by your backbone failing to rehydrate at night. “Throughout the day your spine gets pressed,” says the specialist. “This is a natural process, and it’s due to force compressing each disc between the spinal bones.” At night, these discs reabsorb fluid and decompress, she explains – but only if you’re resting properly. “When the back is curved due to insufficient firmness, it’s likely that spinal discs are still being compressed.”

You might not notice the impact of compressed discs for years, states the expert. “Over a night or two of your back being curved into improper alignment, you may feel a few aches and pains, but over a prolonged period, this can turn into significant spinal discomfort that affects you during the day.”

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Selecting the Best Mattress for Back Pain

The most reliable method to proper spinal alignment while you rest is to choose a bed that’s neither too firm nor too soft for you. Bed firmness varies by individual, so don’t just go for a mattress that’s marked “orthopaedic”. Instead, choose one with the ideal balance of cushioning and firmness for your body size and resting posture.

Generally speaking, the bigger you are, the firmer your mattress will should be to offer enough support for your spine. Side sleepers need a bit more cushioning to support their pelvis, leg joints and shoulders, while individuals who mostly sleep on their back or front benefit from a little more firmness.

“For those with a smaller frame, with small hips and slim upper body, an extra-firm orthopaedic mattress is likely not the best choice,” notes a rest researcher. “Your body might not have sufficient weight to let the mattress adapt to your body, and that’ll alter your back positioning. Find the firmness that suits your shape rather than because it sounds medically right.”

The sole method to know for sure is to sleep on a mattress for a few months, which is why numerous bed companies now provide extended testing options. But you can also gain a clear understanding of what you require in a showroom, or even on your own bed, by resting (ideally on your side) on a bed and asking someone photograph of you from the back. You should be able to draw a largely straight alignment down your spine, starting at your head through the neck bones of your cervical area, all the way to your leg joints and feet. If this imaginary line sinks at your hips and shoulders, the bed is excessively plush for you. If the alignment rises at those points, it’s overly hard. Both are likely to cause spinal discomfort.

Personal experience indicates that moderately firm is effective for petite individuals who sleep on their side. A particular bed provided just enough cushioning to let the back relax. Another option described as moderately firm featured varying firmness zones: firmer areas that give stronger support for your back, and more cushioned parts to accommodate sensitive areas such as your hips and upper body. This was less suitable for a diminutive body, which experienced spinal discomfort after a few nights on the bed’s hard top. The zoning system may, however, be ideal for those with a average build. Its firm surface may also provide the additional firmness needed if you rest on your back.

Ideal for Those Who Sleep on Their Side

A Suggested Bed, double

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Best for Back Sleepers

A Different Bed, double

It’s also worth mentioning that plusher foam beds do work well for some pain sufferers. The soft, cloud-like feel of an all-foam option left one tester desiring additional firmness, but some people appreciate it for discomfort relief. Its strong cushioning effect – basically, the manner it supports you as though you’re floating in a cloud – can be gamechanging if you’ve struggled to get comfortable in bed after an accident.

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Best for Cushioning Support

Another Recommended Bed, standard double

Remember about the surface your mattress is on. A flexible slat foundation has greater flexibility than a solid foundation, and will make a mattress feel softer as a consequence. If you have a flexible base and your mattress seems overly plush for your back, {try it on the floor|test it on a hard