Greetings Members, I need your assistance in selecting a good mattress. I have visited several stores and tried their products. I found one that appears to be ok. It is the Serta Ridgeway… I have read your posts and the tutorial on how to select a mattress. I am primarily a side sleeper. I weigh about 250lbs, have a torn rotator cuff on my right side, cervical spine damage to vertebrates 5-9, right hip pain because of compensation for my left leg that is shorter than the right ( I wear custom designed shoes- lifts and inserts) and I have had seven surgeries on my knees, resulting in bilateral total knee replacements twice. I wear a custom hinged knee brace-mid thigh to below calf- on my left leg and walk with a cane for stability. I desperately NEED a good mattress and pillow. I rarely sleep more than 3 hours a night because I cannot find a comfortable position. Please help me find a mattress that will allow me to get a,good night’s sleep.
Hi D9401,
As you know from reading the tutorial the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists (based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you).
There isn’t any specific mattress that is “best” for any specific medical conditions in general since each person is unique and a mattress that would work well for one person with certain medical issues may be completely unsuitable for someone else with similar medical issues to sleep on. There is only a mattress that is a good match for “you” in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) regardless of whether the same mattress would work well for anyone else.
There are also some suggestions in this topic that may be helpful with rotator cuff issues as well.
As you also hopefully know from reading the tutorial and the guidelines here … I would avoid the major brands such as Serta, Sealy, and Simmons and the stores that tend to focus on them along with any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the information you need about the type and quality of the materials inside it to make an informed choice (see this article) or any mattress that uses lower quality materials than the suggestions in the quality/durability guidelines here so you can avoid buying a mattress that will soften or break down and need to be replaced much too quickly relative to the price you paid.
If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
Phoenix
Thank you Phoenix. I completely agree with you regarding major companies and inferior products. Less than 5 years ago I purchased a major brand (Sealy) pillow top with memory foam gel. I thought it would be awesome. I was wrong. The one shipped to me was very firm, as opposed to what I ordered. I questioned the company and was told it takes several months for the cushion to expand and soften. It never got softer.
I have been reading each suggested article you mentioned in your response to my plea for help. Hopefully, I will be better informed before I make the next purchase. I live in Nashville, TN. 37211
Hi D9401,
The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Nashville area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines I linked in my last reply) are listed in post #7 here.
Phoenix
Thanks for the information. My husband and I have visited 4 of the stores that sell Jamison and Dutch Craft products in our area. We took along a copy of your article and asked a ton of questions and laid in various positions on each bed. So far we are considering the Brentwood or Health Serene (queen) for bedroom #1 at DTMcCalls and Sons to replace the Sealy mattress, but neither of us thinks it will be good enough for our bedroom. We have a Stearns and Foster Estate Pillow top (purchased from Sears) in bedroom #2. It is too firm and we are considering replacing it as well. It so empowering to have all of your wonderful information with us as we continue our search for the optimum mattress for us. Thank you again.
Hi D9401,
It’s great to see you are making good use of the information here 
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding … and of course any comments or questions I can help with along the way.
It may also be worth considering adding a topper to your Stearns & Foster mattress. While there may be some trial and error involved in choosing a suitable topper … if you do choose a suitable topper then it can also have the advantage of being able to replace just the topper without replacing the entire mattress if it softens or breaks down before the upper foam layers in the mattress (the upper layers of a sleeping system will tend to soften and break down before the layers underneath them) or if your needs or preferences change over time and a topper can also help extend the useful life of a mattress underneath it.
If your mattress is still in good condition and there are no soft spots or sagging in the mattress and if the only issue with your mattress is that it’s too firm and you just need some extra softness and pressure relief then a topper can certainly be an effective solution and there is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to that can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. It also includes a link to a list of some of the better online sources for toppers I’m aware of as well.
Phoenix