The best mattress for side sleepers with hip pain are medium-firm innerspring mattresses. Innerspring mattresses provide excellent lumbar support, ensuring your spine is aligned, reducing the risk of forming pressure points and reducing daily acute pain associated with improper sleep position. Additionally, side sleepers should steer clear of mattresses that are too firm: the mattress has to contour to your body. If it doesn't, you overcompensate throughout the night, leading to increased pain upon waking.
This year in the United States, approximately 300,000 people will undergo some form of hip joint replacement surgery, making it one of the most common surgeries of its type. Because our hips are one of the most used and abused joints in our body, there are a number of factors and conditions that lead to pain in your hips. Here are just a few of the things that can cause this type of discomfort:
The good news? Because a lot of the factors that lead to hip pain include lack of use, fractures, or manageable illnesses such as arthritis, there are several things you can do to help your body manage the day-to-day discomfort of hip pain!
If you're able, preforming knee lifts, external hip rotations, and hip extensions helps take some of the daily strain off your body and goes a long way in reducing daily pain. This type of exercise stimulates muscles in your body that often go underused, helping slow further deterioration of your hips (in the case of arthritis). Some other ideas include yoga, aerobics, or even light exercise.
Unfortunately, one of the most common treatments of hip pain is surgery. While these surgeries are considered severe, it's important to note that hip replacement surgeries are among the most common surgical procedures. So, while the idea of surgery can be scary, it's certainly an option worth considering for longterm relief.
Another option that combines medical intervention with stretching an exercise is physical therapy. If you're older or disabled, this may be the right option for you. Physical therapists highly trained to accommodate your needs while understanding your limitations. Physical therapy can provide targeted methods to condition your muscles and extend your range of motion, ultimately providing pain relief.
If you're a side sleeper with hip pain, it's important you understand that your mattress is going to have a significant impact on the severity of your daily pain. Changing your old mattress is an excellent step in the right direction toward controlling your acute and chronic hip pain, and achieving better overall sleep quality.
Yes! An adjustable base is a great way to negotiate sleep positions that are currently not available with your standard bed frame. Often, people with hip pain find relief with one or more legs slightly elevated, and an adjustable base is an excellent way to achieve this position consistently throughout the night, without risk losing your incline if pillows slip or you roll over!
Bonus: A benefit of being a side sleeper with hip pain is that it's recommended you sleep with a pillow between your legs, which is only possible while sleeping on your side. Couple this with an adjustable base, and you're on your way to a better night's sleep!
As a side sleeper with hip pain, you need an innerspring mattress! The coiling system provides adequate lumbar support throughout the night, matching your weight to allow only the correct amount of sinkage, which is essential for pain relief and is most recommended for side sleepers, in general. An innerspring mattress ensures your spine stays in alignment while you sleep, preventing sleep-related pain from agitating your chronic condition, while also helping you get a deeper night's sleep.
You should look for a mattress that's at least medium (between 5 on the firmness scale.) However, this is only if you insist on a slight softer surface. The best firmness for both side sleepers and people with hip pain is a medium-firm (a 5.5-6 on the firmness scale.) These mattresses tend to provide better support for your spine, while still allowing for some sinkage as you sleep. The contouring of your personal shape is important to ensure your body isn't too flat, forming pressure points in your shoulders and pelvis. If your mattress is too firm, all it would accomplish is to create more pain in different parts of your body, so be careful!
Saatva is our top pick for the #1 best mattress for Hip Pain in 2023! They're a luxury hypoallergenic mattress shipped directly to your door (with full-service white-glove delivery). They have over 50,000 reviews and continue to be one of the most reputable, established brands in the industry (founded in 2009). Check their price, here.
