A good quality, the supportive mattress could be the solution to your back pain – discover the link between back pain and mattresses, and the best mattresses for bad backs.
Our buying guide
This guide will help you understand how to support a healthy, pain-free back when you’re sleeping. It’ll look at small tweaks you can make to your sleeping position to benefit your back and how to choose a mattress that’ll best support your back. It also includes our suggestions of the top mattresses for back pain. Although we do partner with mattress brands, we work hard to lessen bias and bring you impartial information.
Disclaimer: We’re not medically qualified and are unable to provide health advice. You should always seek proper medical advice.
How we picked and rated
Here are Australia’s best mattresses for back pain Relief
- The Ergoflex Mattress: Best for Bad Backs
- The Sleeping Duck Mattress: Mattress For Side Sleepers with lower back pain
- The Ecosa Mattress: Best mattress for seniors with back pain
- The Koala Mattress: Best for Lower back pain sufferers
- Emma Comfort Mattress Supportive Comfort
Here are our top 5 picks for the best mattress for bad backs in Australia 2023
1. Best Orthopaedic Mattress – The Ergoflex Mattress
Ergoflex memory foam mattress offers orthopaedic pressure relief and uses hospital-grade materials. As you lie down, it slowly contours to support all the right places. Memory foam excels at stabilising joints and allowing the right areas to sink.
One customer enjoyed how the mattress “moulds to your body”. The Ergoflex is a good choice if you’re searching for a best mattress for back support that can help alleviate back pain, has a firmer feel, and uses high-quality materials.
Other than helping relieve back pain, the Ergoflex has a unique construction to keep sleepers cool. Memory foam is known for retaining heat. But this mattress uses open-cell foam and a Cool Sleep Airflow layer to pull warmth away from sleepers.
The mattress cover also contributes to a cooler sleep. Made of Tencel® fabric, it’s a naturally soft, breathable fabric. This material is derived from plant cells and is hypoallergenic. Underneath the top layer is a micro-fine fabric that encases and protects the foam layers from dust mites.
All of these features create a quality back support mattress that competes with top memory foam brands. Plus, the Ergoflex is an incredible value, and you can test it at home for 30 days to see if it eases your back pain.
See our Ergoflex Mattress review for further details.
2. Mattress for side sleepers with lower back pain- The Sleeping Duck Pro Mattress
Starting from $1,649 more info a customisable hybrid design, the Sleeping Duck mattress uses foam and springs for a supportive, bouncy feel. You can choose between two firmness levels – medium or firm – and then swap foam layers for a softer or firmer feel.
If the mattress needs more cushion, you can request a softer layer from Sleeping Duck. The same goes for a firmer feel. This means you’re able to try which type of firmness best supports your back.
Due to the personalised firmness feature, the Sleeping Duck is a good mattress for numerous sleeping positions. Side sleepers enjoy the strong spring support and cushioned top layer. Back sleepers can opt for a firmer top layer that keeps their spines aligned. And stomach sleepers love how the gel-infused memory foam layer relieves pressure on sensitive parts.
No matter the position you’re in, you’ll also love the natural bounce from the latex layer. This material rebounds your movement, so you’re never stuck in one spot.
Underneath the foam and latex layers is a pocket spring base. Constructed of hundreds of individually wrapped springs, this layer provides most of the support. This support is necessary for every sleeping position.
Plus, each spring reacts to your movement separately, which means less motion transfer and more contour. The springs are also thicker towards the edges, so you’ll be comfortable no matter how you move.
Sleeping Duck Mattress review for further details.
3. Best mattress for seniors with back pain – Ecosa Mattress
Featuring natural latex mattresses and a customisable design, the Ecosa mattress lets you adjust the firmness level for the perfect feel. You can choose from a medium, medium-firm, or firm setting simply by switching the layers.
This is a common feature in hybrid mattresses, but it’s rare in an all-foam design. Ecosa also uses memory and high-density foam for pressure relief and support – great news for bad back sufferers.
Another factor that sets the Ecosa apart is the innovative mattress cover. It has a micro-filament inner cover that prevents 99% of dust mites and allergens from entering the foam layer. Also, this fabric is 100% waterproof and breathable.
Surrounding this fabric is a removable, soft double-knitted polyester cover. Plus, there is a fire-resistant woven silica sock between the outer and inner covers. This contributes to Ecosa’s overall quality and thoughtful latex design.
Ecosa mattress has memory foam layers that will adjust the firmness according to your body frame. With this high-quality memory foam mattress, you can lay your back on the mattress comfortably, especially for senior citizens.
See our Ecosa Mattress review for further details.
4. Best for Lower back pain sufferers – Koala Mattress
As Koala is one of the best mattress for lower back pain in Australia with top-rated designs online, the Koala mattress uses a specialised Kloudcell foam for a “not too firm, not too soft” feel. This material was designed by Koala and acts as a blend of memory foam and latex.
Similar to latex, it’s springy and breathable. Like memory foam, it’s also great at contouring and cushioning sleepers. The second layer is a high-density eco-foam that provides support and prevents you from sinking too deep. Together, these foams create a mattress that can help to support your spine and reduce back pain.
One customer said he’s “never felt more comfortable sleeping”. While the Koala does take time to break in, the 120-day sleep trial period gives you plenty of time to adjust. Overall, we’re not surprised this highly-rated mattress is winning sleepers over one night at a time.
Koala Mattress review for further details.
5. Supportive Comfort – Emma Comfort Mattress
Our expert team has designed the Emma Comfort mattress just for Australians with the aim of providing the perfect sleep experience. It provides comfort and support in every sleeping position and features motion isolation for restful, uninterrupted and energy-boosting sleep. Also, the unrivalled cooling properties allows you to sleep cool throughout the hot summer nights.
It is an all-foam mattress whose layers adapt to your body and distribute your weight uniformly, ensuring you won’t have pain in your pressure points. For this reason, everyone can sleep comfortably, no matter if you sleep on your back, stomach, or your side.
SEE ALSO – Best Sheets Australia
Do mattresses really make a difference?
So, what’s the overall best mattress for people with back pain? There isn’t one! That’s because not one single mattress can solve every type and cause of back pain.
However, although we’re not qualified to offer health advice, we found many sleepers had reduced back pain with a supportive, firm mattress type. Further research revealed an ideal mattress design is one that holds the neck, spine, and hips in line while contouring to support the lower back.
Taking this into account, this guide will arm you with impartial information and showcase some of the most suitable options for mattresses you can buy online. This narrows your choices from a huge market and makes your next mattress choice simple and stress-free.
What is the connection between back pain and mattresses?
Once you’ve been to your doctor and ruled out any medical reason for your back pain, think about how you sleep.
Do you wake up often throughout the night? If so, are you woken up by a feeling of discomfort – like being stiff or sore? Do you toss and turn trying to find a comfortable sleeping position? When you wake up in the morning, do you still feel exhausted and unrefreshed?
If yes, your mattress may be causing your back pain.
An old, sagging mattress won’t provide the support your back needs for a pain-free existence. But a very firm mattress may not do the trick either.
A survey by Harvard Medical School of people with lower back pain found that those who slept on very hard mattresses had the poorest sleep quality. Yet soft mattresses were also problematic. As you sink in so deeply, your joints can twist and become painful during the night.
However, the survey found that there was no difference in sleep quality between those who used medium-firm and firm mattresses, suggesting these may be the best option for reducing back pain.
Keeping your back healthy when you’re sleeping
While you sleep, your spine and the muscle support needs to rest as well. This can be achieved not only through your mattress but through the way you sleep too.
Whichever sleep position you prefer, here are some ways to support your spine while you’re sleeping:
- The best sleeping position for your spine is to lie on your back with a small pillow under your knees. This reduces the stress on your spine, helping your back to lie naturally.
- If you prefer to sleep on your side, use Australian best down pillows between your knees. This helps to reduce stress on the lower spine and hips.
- If you’re a stomach sleeper, use a flat pillow underneath your stomach and hips to help support the natural alignment of your spine.
How to choose a mattress for a bad back ?
The ideal mattress for your back is one that encourages proper spine alignment and provides good support. If a mattress is too firm, there will be excessive pressure on your joints and muscles. If it’s too soft, your spine drops out of line. This can lead to stressed muscles, nerves, and joints.
The best mattress for back ache lets you relax into the top layer, while the bottom layers provide support and deep compression relief. Depending on your preference, this can be a medium-firm to firm design. Weight, age, injury, and sleeping position also factor into your ideal firmness, so you should look for firm and soft mattress for back pain.
Here are 3 questions to answer before you buy a mattress.
1. Does it support the natural curve of your spine?
Help your back by allowing it to rest in its natural position. Medium-firm to firm mattresses are thought to be the best at supporting the natural curvature of your spine. If you sleep on your back, you could try a pocket spring mattress (unless you tend to roll over onto your side a lot) or a memory foam one. If you’re a side sleeper, look for some softness, like a pillow top, to help cushion your shoulder and hip bones.
2. How comfortable is it?
A medium-firm to firm mattress may be the best choice for bad backs, but if you prefer a softer mattress, you’ll still have an uncomfortable night’s sleep because it’s too firm for you. A softer mattress provides extra cushioning and buoyancy, which may relieve your back pain.
In that case, there’s no reason to switch to a medium-firm or firm mattress. If you’re on the smaller side (less than 55kg), you may find softer mattresses provide enough support for your frame. It’s all about personal preference here.
Unlike traditional shop-bought mattresses when you’ll likely spend only a few minutes lying on them, online mattresses usually offer a trial. This means you can try the mattress for a long period of time in your own home, allowing you to decide whether the mattress is comfortable enough.
3. Does it provide relief for pressure points?
Pressure points are body parts that are extremely sensitive to pressure.. They’re often felt in bony areas, including the lower back. To relieve pressure points, go for a mattress that distributes your weight evenly throughout – memory foam is best for this.
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People Also Ask
Each brand of mattress has its own advantages. here we have listed some best brand mattress in Australia for back pain.
- The Ergoflex Mattress: Best for Bad Backs
- The Sleeping Duck Mattress: Mattress For Side Sleepers with lower back pain
- The Ecosa Mattress: Best mattress for seniors with back pain
- The Koala Mattress: Best for Lower back pain sufferers
- The Sommuto Mattress: Supportive Comfort
Different people have different needs, and a product that may help to reduce one person’s back pain may make it worse for another. Make certain, you choose the product or items that are the best fit for you. Consider the materials of the mattress you prefer, their high quality and durability, your body type, and all of the advantages and disadvantages of the Mattress brands you choose to bring relief.
This, after all, has been the thought for quite some time. However, according to recent studies, a mattress that is very firm may not provide appropriate support for your upper and lower back.
The Ergoflex memory foam mattress offers orthopaedic pressure relief and uses hospital-grade materials. As you lie down, it slowly contours to support all the right places. Memory foam excels at stabilising joints and allowing the right areas to sink. The Ergoflex is a good choice if you’re searching for a mattress in 2023 which can help you to alleviate back pain, has a firmer feel, and uses high-quality materials.
A mattress that’s too soft will cause your spine to fall out of alignment all night long, and a mattress that’s too firm will cause joint pressure in your hips that leads to pain in your lower back. You’re certain to feel this pain as soon as you try to get out of bed.
Try sleeping with a pillow between or underneath your legs for extra support. If you sleep on your side, put the pillow between your knees and draw them up slightly toward your chest. If you like to sleep on your back, try the pillow under your knees, or roll up a small towel and place it under the small of your back.
A mattress of medium-firm density is the best mattress for back support.
An overly soft mattress will not support your body shape properly at all, allowing it to sink into the mattress too much. As a result, your back pain will worsen after sleeping on an extremely soft mattress.
While having a firmer mattress provides your bones with more resistance and support, a softer mattress can give you the comfort and cushion you need to sleep happy throughout the night
According to the research, side sleepers mostly prefer a medium soft mattress as it relieves the pressure on their shoulders and hips meanwhile it gives support to the spinal alignment also. But if you are suffering from back issues and neck pain then a firmer mattress is more preferable as it helps in hitting the sweet spot of your back. So it is suggested to go with a medium-firm mattress for side sleepers having back pain to help them with their aches and back pain.
Yes, memory foam mattresses are proven to be good for back issues. The memory foam provides lumbar support to your spine and helps to maintain its natural curvature. It also shapes your body, helps in alleviating pressure on your nexus and relieves pain and aches from it.
If you are feeling chronic pain in your back after waking up in the morning or else you were tossing and turning the whole night it’s a sign of a bad mattress. Another thing that may lead to back issues is that if your mattress is old than seven years then it’s time to invest in a new one.
Conclusion
No more suffering from back pain – It is time to consider which mattress suits your sleeping style. Our focus in this guide was to help you understand and choose the right mattress for you.
To suggest the best mattresses for back pain, we went through the process rigorously. After considering various factors, expert opinion and unbiased data, we have selected The Ergoflex Mattress as the best mattress for back pain relief.
There are several options available if you are not comfortable with Ergoflex, such as Sleeping Duck for customisable Mattress design, Ecosa for adjustable firmness, Sommuto for comfort and support or Australian’s popular choice Koala mattress.
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