Firm Mattresses Aren't Always Best For Bad Backs

INDIANAPOLIS -- Contrary to popular opinion, a firm mattress isn't always the best answer for people with bad backs, according to a physical therapist with St. Francis Hospital.

Ken Johnson said the choice of a mattress should come down to comfort and support.

"The main importance is that it's something comfortable to you," Johnson said. "(A mattress should be) something that supports you and doesn't cause problems to become worse with sleep."

Low back pain can occur when a person's lumbar curve doesn't get the support it needs. So a person's mattress should be soft enough to feel good, yet maintain proper alignment of the spine and provide orthopedic support for the back muscles, Johnson said.

People should look for mattresses that "allow them to relax a little bit better (and) keep the body in better alignment so the muscles don't ... maintain their tenseness over the evening hours," Johnson said.

Johnson also said that stiff necks probably shouldn't be blamed on mattresses. The problem could be the pillow or the pillow's placement.

"A pillow placed properly around the neck can allow the neck muscles to relax and allow proper blood flow to those tissues, which will help the tissues to heal from the normal rigors of daily life," Johnson said.