The spine must be maintained.
Choosing a good mattress is not easy. A bad decision can lead to a lack of comfort that impacts the spine and the quality of sleep. Back pain is the most common reason for medical consultation. Nearly 80% of the population has back pain at least once in their life.
The first thing to know is that no matter what mattress you have, there is no real danger to your health. “Under no circumstances can an unsuitable mattress cause damage to the spine”immediately reassures Frédéric Meyer, physiotherapist at the American Hospital of Paris. On the other hand, for people with back problems such as scoliosis, lumbago or even a slipped disc, the pain can be accentuated by unsuitable bedding. In this case, you need to have a suitable mattress.
To choose it, two factors come into play, according to the expert. The first is the weight of the individual. The greater the weight of a person, the more one should turn to a firm mattress. “A firm mattress is more suitable for a 115 kg person than for a 50 kg person” he illustrates. The second criterion for choosing a good mattress is the person’s morphotype, that is to say their morphological characteristics. For example, the hip is one of the body’s support points, when lying on the side and in thin people, it can be more prominent. A rather firm mattress can be painful for them because of this protruding bone structure. “Some patients also have different spinal shapes, especially those with scoliosis who, lying on their back, will have a lot of hollows. You then need a mattress that offers a little more flexibility to absorb the curves.” advises the specialist.
As you will have understood, between hard mattress and soft mattress, ultimately there is not one choice but several depending on the individual. “However, we do not recommend extremes, that is, anything that is too soft or too hard.” adds the physiotherapist. “The back must be supported so that the muscle relaxation is pleasant and the spine can be supported, but we must not go overboard with a mattress that is too hard.” For Frédéric Meyer, the right compromise is to choose “a fairly firm mattress that supports the spine in line with the person’s needs.” And for couples who do not have the same needs, the expert advises investing in two different mattresses to stick together.
Finally, if the mattress you have does not match your weight or body type, rather than investing in new bedding, the specialist advises adding a mattress topper. “This will help cushion the bony protrusion and at the same time support the spine.”he concluded.