We spend almost a third of our lives sleeping so it stand to reason that a mattress plays an integral role in our overall wellness. For many years, the conventional wisdom has been that firm mattresses were the best option for people suffering from low back pain. In past surveys up to 75 percent of orthopedic physicians recommended firm mattresses. But new research is challenging that long-held notion.
Researchers in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, investigated the effect of different mattress firmness on clinical patients with chronic non-specific lower back pain. A test group of 313 individuals had their own mattresses replaced with either a firm or a medium-firm mattress. The participants, who were not told the type of mattress they were using, reported the degree of lower back pain they experienced when getting up after a night’s sleep on the test mattress. They also described their degree of disability prior to the start of the trial and then again three months into the study.
Generally, the participants who slept on medium-firm mattresses were twice as likely to report improvements in lower back pain while lying in bed, when getting out of bed, and in disability associated with back pain. This result was linked to a relative decrease in the need for pain-killing medication.
This corroborates a report in the winter 2006 issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine that also stated medium-firm mattresses were best in helping people with lower back pain. Dynamic Chiropractic reported that chiropractors told patients buying firm mattresses on the recommendation of orthopedists to put a one and a half to two inch-thick layer of padding on top of a firm mattress because the extra padding conforms better to the natural curves of the human spine.
These findings should make those with lower back pain to consider an option other than firm when buying a new mattress. Many chiropractors recommend a Tempurpedic-type mattress for patients suffering from back pain or chronic joint pain. These types of mattresses are made with a special type of memory foam that contours to an individual’s body shape so that there is less open, unsupported space between the body and the mattress.
Whatever brand you ultimately decide on, it is important to take the mattress for a test drive, as it were. Visit a showroom and lay down on the mattress for at least 20 minutes to get a good feel for how your body is responding to that mattress.
Chiropractors also advise using a box spring designed to pair specifically with a mattress and using them together for optimal back and neck support. It may be a good idea to consult with your chiropractic practitioner prior to purchasing a mattress make sure the one you buy addresses your specific needs.
