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What is the best mattress for back pain? Think Goldilocks.

Mattress for Back Pain

One of the most frequently asked questions at my Woburn chiropractic office is: “What is the best mattress for back pain or support?” My advice: when shopping for a mattress, remember  Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This is because the answer for back pain sufferers is to buy the bed Goldilocks  would want – not too firm, not too soft, but in-between.

Here’s why: When lying supine (on the back) one must consider the spinal curves in the sagittal plane of the spine. To visualize the sagittal plane, imagine how the ideal spine curves when viewing a person from the side. The ‘perfect’ sagittal curvature pattern should be a cervical and lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis.

When looking from the side, a lordosis is a curve arcing forward toward the front of the body, and a kyphosis is a curve arcing backward toward the back of the body. These curves have supporting musculature holding the spine curves in its proper alignment.

If a bed is too firm, muscles tighten. If a bed is too soft, muscles have no support. So, the best bed is semi-firm (hence, the Goldilocks analogy) not too firm, not too soft. With a semi-firm mattress the spinal vertebra and muscles are supported, properly, and the (sagittal) curves maintain their neutral position. So, a Goldilocks bed is “just right” when it comes to supporting the spinal musculature and is ideal for all spines, including back pain sufferers.

When purchasing a bed, I recommend a thirty, sixty or ninety day return policy, no questions asked. This is just good, old-fashioned common sense. How can you possibly know if a mattress is right for you after only lying on it for a few minutes in a showroom? Certainly, you will have a better idea once you’ve slept on that mattress for two to four weeks.

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