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Back pain is so common that, according to the Cleveland Clinic, most of us will experience it at some point in our lives, even if we aren’t dealing with chronic back pain. And if your back hurts, you may be tempted to blame your mattress. But orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Rahul Shah told me there are so many causes for back pain that it’s really difficult to point to one specific culprit. While a mattress that isn’t supportive enough can certainly worsen discomfort — just as a mattress that is carefully chosen to match your sleep position and body type can help alleviate it — Dr. Shah recommends seeing a doctor to rule out other causes of back pain before you replace your mattress.
If you do need a new mattress to help combat back pain, the reality is that there isn’t one specific type of mattress that is “best.” The experts I spoke to all agreed that the best mattresses for back pain will support your spine, relieve pressure on your muscles and joints, and distribute your body weight evenly — all things you want your mattress to do whether you suffer from back pain or not. “A mattress that is recommended as ‘good for back pain’ may be better characterized as ‘good for some individuals’ back pain,’” says Dr. Shah. Ultimately, it’s crucial to account for your personal preferences and the specifics of your unique back pain. With all that in mind, and after consulting four experts on spinal health, I put together this guide to mattresses for back pain by focusing on models that myself or other Strategist staffers have tested that are especially supportive and will meet a wide variety of needs. But if nothing on this list appeals to you, you can read about every mattress we’ve ever tested in our guide to the best mattresses you can buy online.
Update on August 8, 2024: Named the Allswell Brick the Best (Even Less Expensive) Firm Mattress for Back Pain; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for
Firmness
The experts I spoke to generally agree that a medium to firm mattress is often best for back pain — although all of them emphasized there is no “one size fits all” firmness that works for everyone. The rule of thumb for dealing with back pain is that a firmer mattress is better than a softer one because it can provide more support for the natural curve of the spine. However, this doesn’t mean you necessarily need the firmest mattress you can find, nor is a super-firm mattress best-suited to all people with back pain. Many people will find very firm mattresses too uncomfortable (myself included), and your comfort is really important when it comes to choosing a mattress. “Support for the spinal curves is crucial, but it’s not just about the bones,” says chiropractor Dr. Sherry McAllister. “The muscles, often overworked and underappreciated, play a significant role.” So don’t count out some cushioning and pressure relief, especially if you have persistent joint pain or arthritis. Additionally, as chiropractor Dr. Sapna Sriram told me, factors like your body weight, sleeping position, and the underlying cause of your back pain will also affect what firmness is best for you.
As you’re shopping, take the experiences you’ve already had into consideration — if you often wake up feeling sore or with hot spots of pain after sleeping on a firm mattress, that’s a good sign you shouldn’t go for an evern firmer mattress. But if you aren’t sure what you like, Dr. Shah suggests trying out firm mattresses for about 15 minutes at a time in the position you find most uncomfortable, just to assess how it feels and affects you. That way, you can start to narrow your search.
Construction
As with firmness, the experts I consulted said the best type of mattress for back pain will vary from person to person, and that innerspring, all-foam, and hybrid models can all be appropriate. However, several of them did mention springs or coils as beneficial for support, so for this list, I’ve prioritized innerspring and hybrid mattresses. Hybrids in particular can vary in how soft or how firm they feel, but the springs or coils should still provide lots of sturdy support for the spine. A hybrid mattress might be an especially good option for people who don’t want an ultra-firm mattress, but still need plenty of spinal support. I’ve also included a few beds on this list that have “zoned support,” which is basically just a style of mattress construction where certain parts of the bed are softer to provide pressure relief, and others are firmer to provide support. These designs are intended to help with spinal alignment.
Trial period
Just about every expert I spoke to emphasized how important it is to try a variety of mattresses and to try before you buy, since everyone’s needs are different. But if you aren’t able to try a bed in person, most online mattress retailers offer a trial period that will let you return your new bed if it doesn’t work out for you. I consider 100 nights to be about the industry standard for trial periods, so I’ve also prioritized mattress brands that offer at least that long.
Best mattress for back pain overall
Firmness: Multiple firmness options: Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, Plus | Construction: Hybrid | Trial period: 120 nights
The WinkBed is our all-around favorite mattress for back pain because of its sturdy construction, multiple firmness options (including a Plus version for heavier people), and reasonable price (under $2,000 for a queen size). This bed is a hybrid, with pocketed coils for the support layer and a gel-infused memory foam Euro top for comfort and plushness. The coils are zoned to provide additional support around your lumbar region, without making the bed too firm around your shoulders and legs. It comes in four different firmness options, but I think all of them can strike the balance of supporting your spine while still actually being comfortable to sleep on. New York features editor Katy Schneider, a self-proclaimed soft-mattress lover, tested the WinkBed and was surprised to find she actually appreciated the firmer base. “Because the memory-foam layer is thin, it still felt soft without enveloping my body,” she said.
You can choose between four firmness levels, Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, or Plus, depending on your preferences, but I’d steer most people toward the Luxury Firm model, which is in the medium-firm-to-just-slightly-firm range that works well for a lot of people. When I tested the Luxury Firm, I thought it felt extremely sturdy — a bonus for back support — but not overly stiff or hard.
I appreciate that WinkBeds offers a Plus version of this mattress, since body weight can affect how supportive a mattress is — heavier people tend to sink in more than lighter ones. The main difference between the Plus and the other three models is that the Plus has an additional layer of latex foam, uses higher-density foams, and has even sturdier edges (strong edge support can help prevent sagging). These additions should help keep sleepers who weigh around 250 pounds or more from sinking into the bed too much, putting their spine out of alignment.
The Plus version is slightly more expensive than the other three, at $1,999 for a queen size at full price. The others are $1,799 at full price. However, they’re almost always on sale for less, so I think the value is great for the quality of the mattress. It’s also very durable — Schneider has been sleeping on her WinkBed for the past six years and reports that it’s still highly supportive and in great condition.
Best firm mattress for back pain
Firmness: Firm | Construction: Innerspring | Trial period: 100 nights
If you are specifically looking for firm mattress, the Parachute Eco is notable because it doesn’t contain any foam — no memory foam, no latex, no poly foam. From bottom to top, this innerspring mattress is made with interspersed layers of wool padding and coils, with one main support section plus an additional layer of microcoils, and finished with a tufted, organic cotton cover. This means there isn’t really anything to “sink into,” aside from the wool padding, making the Parachute Eco really firm and supportive. Former Strategist senior editor Margaret Rhodes tested the Parachute Eco and also found it surprisingly breezy; the lack of foam allowed for lots airflow, leaving Rhodes feeling as if she was “sleeping on a very sturdy topper floating on nothing.” This bed will likely be too firm for many side sleepers, who typically need more cushioning to relieve pressure around their shoulders and hips, but it’s an especially good option for back sleepers in particular.
Best (less expensive) firm mattress for back pain
Firmness: Two-sided, firm and extra-firm | Construction: Foam | Trial period: 120 nights
The Plank is a more affordable alternative to the Parachute that features a flippable design with two different firmness levels in the same mattress: firm and extra firm. The major difference between the Plank and the Parachute is that the Plank is an all-foam mattress, with no coils or springs to speak of. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s soft and contouring. It features a core of high-density support foam and a quilted cover on each side; there is one additional layer of firm foam on the “firm” side to give it a slightly softer feel than the “extra-firm” side. When I tested the Plank, I didn’t sink into the foam at all — on both sides, I was very “on top” of the mattress. But the quilted cover kept me from feeling like I was literally sleeping on a plank.
Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens, who often deals with back pain and generally prefers an extremely firm mattress, says the Plank is the firmest all-foam mattress she has tried to date. Kitchens especially liked how the firm foam contoured around her body. “The best way to describe it is “neutral spine” — similar to lying on the floor at the end of yoga class in Savasana, when the curvatures of your spine are all in alignment,” Kitchens says. Since the Plank doesn’t have coils, it likely won’t be as durable as the Parachute Eco, nor will it sleep as cool, but it’s a relatively budget-friendly option for a super-firm mattress.
Best (even less expensive) firm mattress for back pain
Firmness: Firm | Construction: Hybrid | Trial period: None
For an even cheaper option, consider the Allswell Brick — another aptly named ultrafirm mattress. It differs from both the innerspring Parachute Eco and the all-foam Plank in that it’s a hybrid mattress, combining memory foam and individually wrapped steel coils. Kitchens also tested the Brick and says the combination of foam and coils makes the bed supportive, but not in an overly rigid way: While the foam does provide some slight body contouring, she never feels like she is sinking into the Brick. After a few months of testing, Kitchens did notice the bed softening a bit, but not so much that it has lost its supportive quality. “I never feel like I’m collapsing in,” Kitchens says.
So why might you choose either of the more expensive beds above over the extra-affordable Brick? The main reasons are the quality of their materials and construction and the option for a trial period. While Kitchens recommends the Brick overall, she found the edge support lacking and noticed that the quilted top panel felt cheap compared to other mattresses she’s tried. The Brick also doesn’t come with a trial period — you can return it within 90 days if it’s new in the box, but if you’ve actually unfurled it, you’re pretty much stuck. Still, for the price, it’s a great option for people with back pain who want to try a firmer mattress, possibly before investing more money in a higher-end model.
Best medium-firm mattress for back pain
Firmness: Medium-firm | Construction: Latex hybrid | Trial period: 100 nights
The Birch Natural is a medium-firm latex hybrid, made with layers of wool, natural latex, and individually wrapped coils. The latex means this mattress has a little more flexibility and give in the top layers than the two firm mattresses above, so you’ll sink in a little bit, but not too much: “The wool cushioning cradles every curve of my body, no matter how I’m positioned, yet I never feel like I’m being pulled under, thanks to the firm support of the steel coils,” says former Strategist editor Maxine Builder, a stomach sleeper who has been sleeping on the Birch Natural for more than three years.
Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo also sleeps on the Birch Natural and says its medium-firm feel works well for both her, a back sleeper, and her husband, a stomach sleeper; they got the Birch to replace a too-soft mattress that had started to sag. Corsillo especially likes the texture and springiness of the latex comfort layer, and says the mattress also sleeps pretty cool — latex typically stays cooler than memory foam, and the coils in this mattress allow for decent airflow.
Best extended-trial mattress for back pain
Firmness: Multiple firmness options: Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm | Construction: Innerspring | Trial period: 365 nights
The Saatva Classic is our pick for the best mattress overall — it’s sturdy and supportive, well-made, and comes in three firmness options. I didn’t give it the top spot on this list because it is more expensive than my top-pick WinkBed, and it doesn’t have a Plus option like the WinkBed does (though Saatva does make a great mattress for heavier people called the Saatva HD, which is more expensive than the Classic). Still, I wanted to shout out the Saatva Classic because it is one of the most supportive beds I’ve tested, and Saatva’s trial period is an above average 365 days — one of the longest on the market.
The Saatva Classic is an innerspring mattress with two layers of coils (one layer of interlocked coils, and one layer of individually wrapped coils), plus a quilted Euro top for some plushness. Like the WinkBed, the mattress has zoned support, with a section of firmer coils around the middle of the mattress to support the hips and a layer of memory foam just under the lumbar region, to provide pressure relief. I think most people would do well with the Luxury Firm model, which is the brand’s “medium firm” offering, but the Plush and Firm models are great picks for those who want a softer or firmer mattress, respectively. Kitchens has also tested the Saatva Classic and said it “kept my lower back from collapsing in, making my spine feel more aligned overall.” She also noted that compared to the Plank, the Saatva Classic is much bouncier, thanks to the spring-heavy construction.
Our experts
• Maxine Builder, former Strategist editor
• Liza Corsillo, Strategist senior writer
• Simone Kitchens, Strategist senior editor
• Dr. Kevin Lees, chiropractor and director of chiropractic operations at The Joint Chiropractic
• Dr. Sherry McAllister, chiropractor and president at Foundation for Chiropractic Progress
• Dr. Rahul Shah, orthopedic spine and neck surgeon
• Katy Schneider, New York features editor
• Dr. Sapna Sriram, chiropractor, acupuncturist, strength and conditioning specialist, and co-founder and CEO of Integra Health
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