Top 5 Mattresses For Joint Pain And Arthritis
- Best Mattress For Lower Back Pain :Leesa Sapira HybridStarting at $1199 Shop Now
- Best Mattress For Plush Comfort :Nest Bedding Sparrow HybridStarting at $949 Shop Now
- Best Soft Mattress For Hip Pain :Tuft Needle MintStarting at $745 Shop Now
- Top Rated Chiropractor Endorsed Mattress :Casper Wave HybridStarting at $1795 Shop Now
- Best Memory Foam Mattress For Arthritis :Amerisleep AS3Starting at $1449 Shop Now
Best Beds For Joint Pain And Arthritis Overview
If you are one of the 54 million Americans that suffer from arthritis, you may struggle to get a full night of quality sleep. It can be a serious condition, but you may be able to get some relief with one of the best mattresses for joint pain. We worked closely with a professional chiropractor to learn more about arthritis and joint pain to compile this guide. However, consult your physician and/or chiropractor about your specific situation before you choose a new mattress or change anything related to your daily routine.
While we’ve taken care to do our best work, you should not take this post as an offering of health advice. It’s meant to serve as a good starting point, but it shouldn’t be your only means of research.
Compare The Best Mattresses For Joint Pain And Arthritis
Best Mattress For Lower Back Pain
Sapira is quite similar to the Leesa mattress, but Sapira adds support coils and is a bit firmer as a result. This is why we chose it as the best mattress for combo sleepers. We think it’s soft enough to offer pressure relief but firm enough that most back and stomach sleepers will sleep happily.
The bed has 6″ pocketed coils as the base and transitions up to a softer neutral foam. In other words, it will feel like a comfortable foam bed with added bounce and support thanks to the coils.
Why we picked Sapira — We would consider Sapira to be one of the nicest coil mattresses that you can purchase online. If you need additional details, check out our full review.
Best Mattress For Plush Comfort
Nest Sparrow is almost in a class of its own in terms of what it offers. Not only is the bed comfortable, but it comes in three firmness levels, it’s highly affordable, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.
The feel of the mattress will somewhat depend on which firmness level you select, but for the most part it feels like an innerspring bed with a big pillow top. It’s one of those beds that you nestle into, but you don’t feel stuck in. Because the bed uses coils, it will have ample support for most people. We could easily see the medium or plush model being the best mattress for seniors with arthritis.
Why we picked Nest Sparrow — The plush and medium versions will offer plenty of pressure relief, while the luxury firm will sit at about a medium-firm and is best for back/stomach sleepers. These options make it easy for nearly everyone to find something that suits them.
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Tuft and Needle‘s Mint mattress is softer and composed of three layers of foam and a super-soft textured cover. The main reason we have the bed on this list is the amount of pressure relief it offers. It’s one of the best soft and plush mattresses on the market right now.
The best way to describe the mattress is soft, comfy and fluffy. We think it will be a nice option for side sleepers dealing with joint pain, tender spots or arthritis. The bed does not have any memory foam, so there’s no “stuck” feeling even though you do sink into the top layers.
Why we chose this bed — Mint is an excellent value despite being the company’s “luxury mattress.” The queen size sells for just under $1,200 without any holiday discounts. If you want a cheap mattress, check out Tuft & Needle mint vs. original.
Top Rated Chiropractor Endorsed Mattress
The Casper Wave Mattress is the brand’s premium offering, as it has a thick 13″ 5-layer construction containing Casper mattress‘ proprietary comfort foam, natural latex foam, zoned memory foam, poly foam with gel pods and foam-encased pocketed coils in the base layer.
The zoned support layer is strategically made with three zones — each meant to provide a different firmness level according to your body’s needs. This is why we think it’s possibly the best mattress for osteoarthritis arthritis because it’s firm under your back for additional support and provides soft pressure relief in the other two zones.
The latex foam also provides an additional layer of support, and the poly foam layer contains little gel pods to promote proper spinal alignment.
Why we chose this mattress — This mattress is accommodating for all body types and all sleeper types too. Its medium firmness profile accommodates back, stomach, side and combo sleepers. However, it might not be the best for budget shoppers, as a queen size mattress retails around $2,695.
Best Memory Foam Mattress For Arthritis
Amerisleep offers a ride range of mattress choices, including AS1-AS5. AS1 is their firmest and most affordable mattress offering, and the beds gradually get softer and pricier as the number gets higher.
AS3 is the most popular model, and we rated it around a medium on our firmness scale. If you’re looking for more pressure relief, you can always look into AS4 or AS5, which both have a softer firmness profile. Alternatively, AS1 and AS2 have more of a firm profile.
Why we chose this mattress — Regardless of the model you choose, a few things are for certain. One, you’ll get a bed with a pressure-relieving memory foam feel and a machine-washable cover.
Best Mattress For Sore Joints And Arthritis Pricing
| Mattress | Twin | Twin XL | Full | Queen | King/California King |
| Leesa Hybrid | $1,099 | $1,199 | $1,499 | $1,799 | $1,999 |
| Nest Alexander | $949 | $1,149 | $1,349 | $1,599 | $1,799 |
| Tuft & Needle Mint | $745 | $845 | $995 | $1,195 | $1,395 |
| Casper Wave | $1,595 | $1,795 | $2,495 | $2,695 | $3,095 |
| Amerisleep (AS3 all-foam option) | $1,149 | $1,199 | $1,349 | $1,499 | $1,899 |
How We Created This Mattress Guide For Arthritis And Joint pain
We have a team of men and women of all different weight ranges and backgrounds. We also spend hundreds of hours researching, testing and producing our mattress reviews and mattress comparisons. We perform several tests to see how a mattress performs. Having said that, we do not employ a doctor full-time nor are we experts on arthritis, joint and back pain or health matters.
However, we hired Dr. Ranvir Sahota of Synapse Chiropractic to help us learn more about arthritis and joint pain and to write this post. Dr. Sahota is a licensed chiropractor who is familiar with treating patients suffering from joint pain and arthritis—that’s why we asked for his help!
We specifically discussed seniors with arthritis and joint pain and his recommendations for mattresses and support systems. We even went through an in-person demonstration that covered—among other things—sleeping positions, corrective exercises and mattress materials. However, because this is still general information, please consult your doctor before making health decisions.
Finding The Right Mattress For Arthritis
Finding the right mattress for arthritis sufferers is going to depend on several items, so think critically about each one. Also, ask about other people’s experiences who have a similar situation to you. Beyond that, there are four things that you should pay attention to:
- Where exactly is your pain? Are you dealing with arthritis hip pain, or perhaps in your lower back?
- What type of sleeper are you? If you’re a side sleeper you will be putting more pressure on your hips.
- How heavy are you? Heavier individuals need a firmer mattress that can support their spines and lower backs.
- Do you have a materials preference? This will affect which mattress you’ll buy.
What Is Arthritis?
Put simply, arthritis is painful or irritating inflammation and stiffness that affects various joints in the body. Arthritis itself is not actually a single disease, but rather is a catch-all phrase referring to joint pain and joint disease. There are over 100 different types of arthritis, affecting 54 million Americans, however, the most common form is osteoarthritis (OA), otherwise known as degenerative joint disease or “wear and tear” arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs typically when the cartilage (essentially, cushioning) between your joints deteriorates, causing pain, inflammation, or stiffness. Osteoarthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation, affects 27 million Americans and is most common among individuals above 65 years of age.
As misunderstood as osteoarthritis is, there are certain risk factors that can increase your likelihood of eventually getting OA, including, among other things, obesity, age and injuries to joints. Osteoarthritis can affect virtually any joint, including your knees, hips, lower back, neck, shoulders fingers and even your big toe. Basically, anywhere that has cartilage could be at risk for OA. Because your cartilage provides the gliding surface for joint motion and also serves as cushioning, it can cause serious pain, swelling and stiffness when it breaks down. You may even encounter situations where bone or cartilage fragments become detached and float around in the joint. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of OA include: tenderness, stiffness, loss of flexibility, bone spurs, and a grating sensation.
With spinal arthritis specifically, you may feel stiffness, numbness or general weakness in your neck or lower back. It may even cause issues in your legs, buttocks and arms, which is why it’s so important that you talk to your doctor if you’re feeling any of the symptoms of arthritis. Typically, a simple X-ray scan can flesh out whether you have arthritis or not. The X-ray is a good idea because sometimes people confuse arthritis for nerve root damage because both may cause shooting pain down the back of your leg, for example.
People with OA in their back or neck may find that they’re particularly stiff in the mornings because they haven’t been moving much for hours and at night because they’re worn down from the day’s activities. In certain cases, arthritis can be so bad that it affects your ability to fall asleep at night — another reason to talk to your doctor.
Treatments For Arthritis
If you have a form of arthritis, work closely with your doctor to treat the issue. Dr. Sahota gave a few suggestions that are often prescribed. This is not an exhaustive list nor is it an offering of medical advice.
In general, because arthritis can be painful and limit your mobility, people seem to find low-impact activities such as swimming, walking and water activities to be the most effective at keeping them moving but limiting their pain. You can also, however, try range-of-motion activities, massages, acupuncture, icing and anti-inflammatory drugs, among other things.
Sleep Style And Arthritis
Where you’re having arthritis pain will affect the best mattress for arthritis for you. The bulk of an individual’s body weight are in the hips, trunk and shoulders. So, if you have low-back arthritis, for example, pay close attention to your mattress so it’s not a contributing factor to poor sleep. Below are some tips based on which sleeper type you are.
Stomach Sleepers With Arthritis
Not all sleeping positions are created equal. Stomach sleeping, for example, may be the worst for arthritis because you can easily contort your body while you’re sleeping. It’s easier to get your spine out of alignment and to stretch muscles and ligaments over a long period of time if you sleep on your stomach. That can leave you feeling sore and stiff in the morning.
Typically, stomach sleepers will prefer a medium, medium-firm or firm mattress. You’ll want to be sleeping more on the mattress as opposed to sinking in so you keep proper spinal alignment.
Back Sleepers With Arthritis
Sleeping on your back is generally regarded as one of the better positions if you have joint pain. You should be looking for a mattress of similar firmness to what a stomach sleeper would get (i.e. medium, medium-firm or firm). Note that when we say softness/firmness, we are not speaking of support (or density) of the mattress. Softness/firmness is more about how the mattress feels.
Side Sleepers With Joint Pain In Their Hips
Side sleepers require a softer mattress in general than do back/stomach sleepers because you need more pressure relief on your hips and shoulders. If you can’t sink in a little, you won’t be able to keep the proper curvature of your spine.
As a side sleeper, you’re probably looking more for a medium to a medium-firm mattress. A lot of it comes down to your personal preferences, but we find that most people with a back issue or bad back want a bed in that firmness range.
What Does Weight Have To Do With Sleep?
Your weight affects how soft or firm a mattress appears to be to you. Therefore, if you’re heavier or overweight, the bed will seem a lot less firm than it would to a person that is say 95 lb, like one of our employees. So when we say these firmness numbers, if you’re especially heavy or petite, you’ll need to adjust the scale. Your weight also affects the level of support that you require and thereby the construction of the mattress.
Best Type Of Mattress For Arthritis
Generally speaking, there are a few major support systems for a mattress. These will ultimately affect how supportive the mattress is. As such, here is our list of the best types of mattress for arthritis:
- Spring and hybrid design
- Zoned support system
- All-foam design
- Premium air mattress
The middle and top layers are crucial. You’re likely experiencing pain or discomfort throughout the day and falling asleep is tough; therefore, finding a comfortable mattress is crucial, perhaps even more than with other back ailments. Usually you’ll see six types of mid/top layers:
- Memory foam — It can be soft, medium or firm. The firm level tends to be very supportive and durable. Some people don’t like it because it can heat up, but gel memory foam is much better at temperature regulation.
- Latex foam — There are four major types of Latex Foam (1) Talalay (2) Dunlop (3) synthetic and (4) blended. Excluding synthetic latex, the foam originates from the sap of a rubber tree. The end result is usually an airy, bouncy material that is semi pressure relieving and responsive. You don’t get a ‘stuck in the mud’ feeling typically with latex. It also happens to be cooler than memory foam in most cases. A lot of people like latex because it’s often natural. You can even get organic latex.
- Air — Think of Sleep Number. You can usually adjust these beds.
- Poly foam — Typically more affordable beds use poly foam as their top layer. It comes in varying levels of firmness and is usually responsive, but it’s not the best in terms of pressure relief.
- Proprietary foam — This is a wild card. Casper, Leesa, Nolah and Brooklyn Bedding use at least one proprietary foam in their respective mattresses.
- Gel-like materials — There are only a few beds that use gel-like materials in their middle and top layers, but probably the best known is Purple, which is one of our all-time favorites. They use a proprietary material called Hyper-Elastic Polymer. It’s great for support, pressure relief, airflow and responsiveness.
Best Arthritis Foundation Mattress
While the Arthritis Foundation doesn’t mention a certain type of foundation that’s necessary for those suffering with joint pain and arthritis, it does offer 5 ways to make your bed more joint-friendly, including finding the right pillow, investing in the best mattress for arthritis and elevating your legs.
Other Considerations For People With Arthritis And Joint Pain
As we mentioned above, there are some great suggestions to alleviate joint pain during sleep. It probably goes as no surprise that we think finding the right mattress and pillow are great places to start. Some lesser-known suggestions include:
- Find ways to elevate your legs. Try putting a pillow underneath your legs while you sleep. It’s a good way to alleviate pressure and reduce inflammation, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Especially, they say, if you have knee and ankle pain.
- Try layers in bed. Medications or other factors can play into your body temperature at night. Try using light layers to help you more easily adjust to the most comfortable temperature for you.
- Use heat. Warm showers, electric blankets and heating pads all can provide pain relief. You can even look for an electric blanket with a timer, so that you can turn the temperature up and down as you sleep and awake.
Again, there are many ways to make sleep a little more restful, even if you’re suffering from arthritis and joint pain.
What If You Hate Your New Mattress?
Because you’re dealing with a virtually irreversible condition, you should be particularly stringent with the mattress that you choose. If you don’t love it or it’s making your situation worse, move on to the next. Most of the online mattress brands offer free returns and a 100-night, risk-free trial period, and retailers often have a similar option. You should not feel bad if you have to return the bed.
Best Beds For Arthritis Summary
| Mattress | Highlight | Firmness |
| Leesa Hybrid | Best Mattress For Lower Back Pain | Medium/medium firm |
| Nest Alexander Hybrid | Best Mattress For Plush Comfort | Soft, medium-soft, or medium-firm |
| Tuft & Needle Mint | Best Soft Mattress For Hip Pain | Medium-soft |
| Casper Wave | Top-Rated Chiropractor Endorsed Mattress | Medium |
| Amerisleep | Best Memory Foam Mattress For Arthritis | Varies |
Most of the online mattress brands offer completely free shipping, whether that is through UPS, FedEx, or a location distribution company. For arthritis sufferers, it’s probably best to look for a brand that offers white glove delivery as an option.
What’s nice about online mattresses is that you can test them from your home, in most cases, risk-free, meaning they offer a return option. Therefore, it’s not necessary to try before you buy. You can essentially test at home and return if you don’t like it.
Most of the companies will offer 100% free returns during your “trial period.” That means you get to test the bed for a few months and decide whether or not it helps your arthritis. If it doesn’t, you should be able to return for free, or a modest fee.
It all depends on the person. There is no single best “type” of bed for arthritis sufferers. The only thing we can say is that usually you will want a highly supportive mattress, but also one that offers a decent amount of give and pressure relief. You might end up going through a trial-and-error situation.
Yes. According to the Cleveland Clinic, finding the right mattress can decrease nighttime discomfort from joint pain.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a firm mattress is best, with, if needed, a pad on tap in order to distribute eight evenly and keep your joints aligned.
Why Trust Us
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