If you are struggling with chronic back pain, have poor sleep quality, or wake up tired and aching, it’s probably your mattress that’s to blame. Your choice of mattress will have a great impact on your spinal health and overall comfort levels, so it should be adjusted to your sleeping position and have an optimal firmness level to offer lumbar support and relieve pressure on key stress points.
An orthopedic mattress is an excellent solution for anyone that is looking to get a mattress specially designed to offer precisely this: it will ensure that your spine is properly aligned and, in turn, help alleviate and prevent back pain. Designed by experts, orthopedic mattresses are firm and optimized to give you proper support without sacrificing comfort.
| Rank | Product | Highlights |
| #1 |  Swiss Ortho Sleep, 12″ Innerspring Mattress
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| #2 |  BedStory 12 Inch Hybrid Mattress
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| #3 |  Zinus 12 Inch Support Plus Pocket Spring Hybrid Mattress
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| #4 |  Novilla 12 inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress
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| #5 |  Casper Sleep Element Mattress
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| #6 |  LUCID 12-Inch Latex Hybrid Mattress
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What Is an Orthopedic Mattress?
The field of orthopedics is a branch of medicine that is focused on the care for skeletal system and interconnecting parts: in other words, an orthopedist helps patients with back pain, joint pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and similar conditions and issues. And as the name suggests, orthopedic mattresses are those that have been engineered to help with and prevent similar issues- or more specifically, back pain. Orthopedic mattresses are usually recommended to chronic back pain sufferers and people that require a bit more lumbar support to wake up well-rested and pain-free. The goal of the orthopedic mattress design is to ensure proper spinal alignment, making sure that you retain natural spine curvature throughout the night. In addition to this, a healthy sleeping posture will improve blood circulation which, in turn, helps reduce pain and inflammation, altogether leading to a significant reduction- if not complete elimination- of back pain.
When speaking about types of orthopedic mattresses, there isn’t a single design or a construction type to focus on. The shared characteristic of all orthopedic mattresses is that they are on the firmer side of the spectrum, but when it comes to materials, there are no limitations. Most orthopedic mattresses incorporate a pocketed or open coil base as it adds a dose of firmness and sturdiness to the construction, so innerspring and hybrid mattresses are often designed to offer orthopedic properties, but orthopedic mattresses are not exclusively made from coils and layers of cushioning. Latex orthopedic mattresses are a popular alternative, as this natural material has excellent pressure-relieving and lumbar supportive properties due to its firmness and unique texture. Finally, some sleepers prefer firm memory foam or gel-infused mattresses to help with their back pain, so a lot will depend on your personal preferences and budget.
What to Look for In an Orthopedic Mattress
A mattress should last you at least 5 years- and if you chose a high-quality durable mattress, it can last up to 10 years before it needs replacing, so it’s needless to say that you should consider your purchase well. With orthopedic mattresses, this is even more true, because you’re not only looking for a reliable, comfy mattress that’s made to last: you’re looking for one that has all that AND is engineered to help you eliminate back pain, which requires certain design features.
— Firmness
As a rule of thumb, orthopedic mattresses are firm. Soft, body-hugging mattresses might sound like the coziest cloud to sleep on, but for most sleepers, mattresses that are not firm enough is what is at the root of their constant back pain. An orthopedic mattress will be firm but not hard as a rock: the goal is for the mattress to provide you with optimal support for your back and ensure your spine is properly aligned, all the while feeling comfortable to sleep on. Still, due to their firmness, orthopedic mattresses do take some getting used to and it will probably take a couple of weeks before you feel comfy sleeping on your new mattress.
— Temperature regulation
Just because an orthopedic mattress is great for your back, it doesn’t have to mean that it will be pleasant to sleep on if you are a hot sleeper. Some mattresses are not engineered to dissipate heat and instead trap it, making the mattress too warm to sleep on in certain climates or for people that tend to sweat and overheat at night. If this is a concern for you, go for orthopedic mattresses that let air circulate (ventilated foam or a coil base) or those made from cooling materials (latex, gel-infused foam).
— Couple vs single sleeper properties
If you are sleeping with your partner, you’ll want to get an orthopedic mattress that has good motion isolation. This means that the movement won’t transfer throughout the sleeping surface, so if your partner sleeps restlessly or gets out of bed before you, you won’t feel a thing. This is usually achieved by using memory foam in one or more layers of cushioning. Another important feature for couples is that the mattress is responsive and has a bounce to it to support sexual activities- a coil base is a great choice if this is a factor.
Best Orthopedic Mattresses
1. Swiss Ortho Sleep, 12″ Innerspring Mattress
Specs:
- Firmness: Firm
- Height: 12”
- Type: Innerspring
- Available sizes: Twin, Full, Queen, King
Editor’s choice
With a classic design that is optimized to help sleepers with back pain, this orthopedic mattress will help you get the rest you deserve. The modernized innerspring construction features a base made from 13-inch gauge individually pocketed coils which will adapt to your body shape and movement and add sturdiness to the mattress itself. Coils also make the mattress more breathable and suited for hot sleepers, as the heat won’t be trapped inside but rather circulate and dissipate.
The coils are cushioned with comfort foam, which will work to relieve pressure on your key stress points and cradle your body without sinking. The bamboo fabric cover of the mattress also has foam quilted in, so while firm, this mattress won’t feel too firm for comfort, if you are a stomach or a back sleeper.
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Who Should Buy This Mattress?
Firm, affordable, and breathable, this orthopedic mattress manages to combine all the important features into a single design. With tried and true construction and high-quality materials, it will meet the needs- and the budgets- of most people.
2. BedStory 12 Inch Hybrid Mattress
Specs:
- Firmness: Medium firm
- Height: 12”
- Type: Hybrid
- Available sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full XL, Queen, King, California King
Runner up
If you have concerns about an orthopedic mattress being too firm for your liking but still want to reap the benefits of orthopedic design, this is the mattress to go for. Balancing between being too firm and not firm enough, this hybrid mattress combines a supportive pocketed coil base with multiple layers of foam for optimal comfort. The cool gel and wave foam layers will contour your body but prevent it from sinking in, and also help relieve pressure on key stress points in your body.
While the high-density foam layers and coil base make this orthopedic mattress firm, the euro top design feels comfier to sleep on, giving you the illusion of a softer mattress while still offering the benefits of a firm orthopedic design. Ensuring you retain a healthy sleep posture and reducing pain and tension, this hybrid mattress will be a good choice for couples and singles alike thanks to its adaptability and motion isolating properties.
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Who Should Buy This Mattress?
With a medium level of firmness, this mattress is well suited for anyone worried about whether an orthopedic mattress is too firm for their sleeping position requirements or preferences- it will give you the proper support but without compromising on comfort.
3. Zinus 12 Inch Support Plus Pocket Spring Hybrid Mattress
Specs:
- Firmness: Firm
- Height: 10”, 12”
- Type: Hybrid
- Available sizes: Twin, Full, Queen, King
Customer’s choice
If you’re shopping for an orthopedic mattress but you’re on a tight budget, this affordable hybrid will be your best choice. Despite its price, it is well-made and engineered to offer relief to back pain sufferers as well as prevent back pain altogether. The base layer of this mattress consists of 7.5” motion-isolating iCoil pocket springs- and 10% more of them than other designs, too- which is ideal for plus size sleepers and sleepers with back pain, since this responsive, motion-isolating base will give you unparalleled support and adapt to your body type at the same time.
The coils are followed by layers of high-density foam and comfort foam, to cushion the individually wrapped coils beneath them and to cradle your body for immediate comfort and pressure relief. The extra firm feel might not work for everyone, but heavier sleepers, stomach sleepers, and those that experience chronic lower back pain will love this hybrid orthopedic mattress.
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Who Should Buy This Mattress?
Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t have to mean that you can’t find an orthopedic mattress that will give you years of support: this hybrid mattress is firm, sturdy, and great for back pain. The combination of multiple layers of foam and coil base will support you and feel comfortable to sleep on both.
4. Novilla 12 inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress
Specs:
- Firmness: Medium firm
- Height: 12”
- Type: Memory foam
- Available sizes: Twin, Full, Queen, King
Best orthopedic mattress for back pain
The main reason why people get orthopedic mattresses in the first place is that they want to get rid of constant back pain- and that’s exactly what this medium firm memory foam mattress will help with. Designed to offer both relief and the support needed to prevent and reduce back pain, it will suit all sleepers thanks to its medium level of firmness. The unique combination of 4 layers of foam includes both high-density foams for sturdiness and cooling gel foam that is both body-contouring and infused with gel to help with temperature regulation.
Thanks to its special design, this orthopedic memory foam mattress can both make sure that your spine retains its natural curvature (regardless of the position you prefer to sleep in) and that there isn’t any unnecessary stress on your joints, hips, or shoulders. As a result, you’ll wake up rested and pain-free- after a night of sleeping like a baby.
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Who Should Buy This Mattress?
Comfy to sleep on but sturdy enough to ensure optimal lumbar support, this pressure-relieving memory foam orthopedic mattress will help you with chronic back pain and aching joints as well. The medium level of firmness makes it suitable for most sleepers, as well as couples with different sleeping positions.
5. Casper Sleep Element Mattress
Specs:
- Firmness: Firm
- Height: 10”
- Type: Memory foam
- Available sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Best orthopedic mattress for side sleepers
Your preferred sleeping position will have a big influence on your spinal health: different poses put more stress on different parts of the body and require different types of mattresses. For side sleepers, it can be tricky to find an orthopedic mattress that works as their sleeping pose dictates a softer mattress since a sleeping surface that is too firm would put too much pressure on their key stress points and cause spinal misalignment. This is why this memory foam mattress works so great- it supports side sleepers properly while still being adaptive enough to avoid additional strain on hips and shoulders.
With just two layers of foam- a high-density foam base and a layer of AirScapeTM perforated breathable foam- this orthopedic mattress can retain its firmness and sturdiness without sacrificing the body-cradling, pressure-relieving effects of memory foam. As a result, you can comfortably sleep on your side and get rid of back, shoulder, and/or hip pain once and for all.
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Who Should Buy This Mattress?
Side sleepers with back pain and chronic soreness due to inadequate mattress will love this firm but adaptive memory foam mattress that cradles their body in all the right places. Thanks to its sturdiness, it gives optimal lumbar support but without feeling too firm for people that sleep on their side.
6. LUCID 12-Inch Latex Hybrid Mattress
Specs:
- Firmness: Medium firm
- Height: 10”, 12”
- Type: Hybrid
- Available sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Best orthopedic mattress for couples
If you share your bed with your partner, there are some factors to consider when choosing a mattress, starting with the possibly different comfort preferences to motion transfer and the responsiveness to movement. Well, this latex hybrid mattress ticks all of the boxes for most couples, as it is supportive, good for back pain, and suits most sleeping positions. To boot, it is also motion isolating so you won’t feel your partner’s tossing and turning and has a good “bounce” to it which is a great bonus for couples that maintain an active sex life.
The well-roundedness of this mattress is allowing for its unique construction: the individually encased steel coil base isolates motion and gives good edge support, and the cushioning includes both memory foam and natural latex for supreme feel and comfort. The unlike combo of the two materials doesn’t allow too much sinking and has a good spring, which will work well for most sleepers.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who Should Buy This Mattress?
An orthopedic mattress for couples should be supportive, comfortable, and engineered to provide a balanced feel for each sleeper- not to mention help isolate motion and respond to movement instead of restricting it. This latex hybrid manages to tick all of those boxes- and all that without breaking the bank.
In Conclusion
An orthopedic mattress can completely transform your sleeping experience for the better. These specially engineered mattresses are made to offer superior support and comfort, ensuring that your spine is properly aligned and pressure on your joints and stress points are relieved, all to provide you pain-free rest.
While firmness is a shared characteristic of orthopedic mattresses, even with some variation in the firmness level to accommodate different sleeping positions, there are different types of orthopedic mattresses to choose from so every sleeper can find a perfect match for their preferences and budget.