Back and joint pains are an increasingly common niggling health issue. Approximately 80% of adults face issues with back pain in their life - some temporary, some long-lasting.
Whether your pains are caused by accident, strenuous activity, moving awkwardly or an unavoidable health issue, back pain can be debilitating and have a serious impact on your day-to-day.
We look at ways you can seek pressure relief from back pain and joint aches by exercising, strengthening your core, fixing your posture, adjusting your sleeping position and buying an orthopaedic mattress for back pain.
Ways to Ease Back Pain
If your back pains are serious or if you have been suffering for a long time, you need to make an appointment with a specialist such as a GP, chiropractor, physiatrist or osteopath.
If you suffer from mild back pain, you might want to try a few at-home remedies that will bring you relief, comfort and support from your aches.
Here are some solutions to help ease lower and upper back pain;
Maintaining Correct Posture
Slouching will make existing back pains worse, and years of bad posture can also be the cause of bad backs. You should be extra careful if you sit for a long period of time. For example, if you have an office job.
You must sit upright without slumping over the desk, keep your back flat against the back of the chair and keep your feet flat on the floor. When walking or standing, you should keep your back as straight as possible at all times, with your head upright.
Consistent (but Careful) Exercise
Many people think lots of rest is the solution for back pain, but this isn’t the case, light and consistent exercise are usually recommended. If you’re suffering from any back, joint or muscle pain you should always speak to a GP before any strenuous exercise or manual work. However, simple exercise such as walking can be helpful for mild back pains.
Strengthen your Core
If your back pain is chronic, strengthening your core muscles could benefit you in the long run. If your core muscles are weak, other muscles in that area take the load instead. Strengthening your core could be a good long-term solution for lower back pain.
Finding the Most Comfortable Sleeping Position
The way we sleep has a big impact on our back health and sleeping in certain positions could even be the cause of some back pain!
That’s why it’s so important to find the best sleeping position that doesn’t put unnecessary strain on your spine and cause back pain.
Lying on the back is the best sleeping posture advised by doctors as it helps in evenly distributing the entire weight of the body. it also ensures proper alignment of the neck, spine, and head. If you are a back sleeper, place a pillow beneath your knees to raise it slightly to maintain the natural curve of your spine.
Choosing the Best Type of Mattress
If your back pain has started suddenly and without any previous health concerns, it can be particularly frustrating when you are trying to figure out why it started. Believe it or not, there's a high chance that it could be due to a poor mattress.
If your mattress doesn't provide optimum support, it can affect spinal alignment, cause poor posture and strain your muscles. When this is happening every night for eight hours at a time, it can really take its toll on your back.
Which firmness rating is best for back pain? There’s contradicting information on what level of firmness and support is required for a good-quality mattress and whether an extra firm mattress or medium-firm is the best type of mattress for aches and pains?
In all honesty, it can vary from person to person, however, when we are asked what is the best mattress for back and neck pain, we have two standout contenders that we recommend; memory foam mattresses and orthopaedic mattresses. We’ll take a quick look at the difference between the two mattress types and try to figure out which is the better back support mattress.
Memory Foam Mattress
When pressure is applied directly to a memory foam mattress it morphs to the contours of your body, and when the pressure is removed, the mattress bounces back to its original state.
When the memory foam mattress moulds to your body, the correct spine alignment is achieved and your lower back has full support.
Side sleepers should look for a mattress with a thicker foam layer to ensure it provides enough support for your shoulders and hips.
The average foam thickness for people with back pain is 3-4 inches. If you are petite, you might only need 2-3 inches, and larger people or side sleepers we recommend 5-6 inches of foam for lower back pain support.
Orthopaedic Mattress
Memory foam mattresses are largely designed with comfort in mind, and naturally, that means they also provide the correct support that your body needs. However, specialist orthopaedic mattresses are designed specifically for your back and joint pains. The targeted back support means the medical mattresses are one of the best home solutions for those who suffer from back pain.
Mattress Toppers
Memory foam mattress toppers are also beneficial when it comes to taking care of your back and soothing any aches and pains. They are made to conform to your body and accommodate all of your pressure points and are great for all types of sleeping positions. Find out which of our memory foam mattress toppers are used to reduce back pain.
Are Orthopaedic Mattresses the Solution for Back Pain?
Assuming you sleep for an average of eight hours per night, that would mean you spend 33% of your life in bed. That's a LOT of your life.
If you spend over a third of your life with poor spine alignment and inadequate back and neck support, is it any surprise that you could end up with lifelong aches and pains?
What are the benefits of an Orthopaedic mattress? Orthopaedic mattresses are typically firm. This means you get maximum pushback and achieve the 'perfect' sleeping position that your back needs. The high resistance also means the amount you toss and turn during the night is limited.
Orthopaedic mattresses are designed to distribute your body weight evenly. This prevents pressure point build-up in the hips, neck and lowers back, so they are often regarded as the best mattress for sciatica sufferers. Orthopaedic mattresses help to form the correct spinal alignment, which reduces stress and pressure from the spine and encourages correct posture.
Best Orthopaedic Mattress for Back Pain
An orthopaedic mattress for back pain isn’t one set design or structure. There are many variants of supportive mattresses that are constructed with different components, layers and mattress fillings; the desired mattress feel is entirely down to personal preference.
- Open Coil Orthopaedic Mattresses: Firm and affordable mattresses that gauge the weight of the sleeper and distribute it evenly. Coil springs are at the core of most modern orthopaedic mattresses.
- Pocket Sprung Orthopaedic Mattresses: These are widely considered to be the best for bad backs. Pocket sprung mattresses have coil springs in individual pockets, so they are more effective in shaping to the natural form of your body.
- Memory Foam Orthopaedic Mattresses: Possibly the most popular of the orthopaedic range, memory foam uses the natural heat and pressure from your body to mould to your body. As the foam mattress shapes to your body, the correct spinal alignment is achieved.
Overall, having the correct mattress is key for avoiding unnecessary back problems as well as alleviating existing issues.
Remember 33% is a big chunk of your life. So, if you are suffering, you need as much support during your sleeping hours as possible. Orthopaedic mattresses have been proven to provide this extra comfort and pressure relief that you need for a supportive night’s sleep.
We have a range of orthopaedic mattresses readily available, in pocket sprung, open coil and memory foam designs. We also offer a 100-night trial; if your mattress doesn't provide the levels of support you need, we will exchange the mattress for a different one.
Shop our latest orthopaedic mattress offers now and enjoy free delivery on orders £99 and over!
If you want more information about the best type of mattress for bad backs or any of our orthopaedic mattresses, contact our team and we will be happy to help!