In need of excellent pressure relief under hips, open to ideas

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
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I have a connective tissue disorder (hypermobility) that makes me very vulnerable to joint and muscle problems. I have trochanteric bursitis and piriformis syndrome affecting my hips, and I need excellent pressure relief in that area.

I’m currently sleeping on a new Zinus Green Tea 12" mattress. I bought another mattress of the same model about 6 years ago and that was good enough for me while it lasted, but I think my body and perhaps their foam* must have changed since then. When I sleep on my side, I feel way too much pressure on the outer surface of my hip, and when I sleep on my back, my hips don’t sink enough and my lumbar spine is unsupported.

Stats/preferences

  • Height: 5’4"/162cm
  • Weight: ~135 lbs/62kg
  • Age: 29
  • Broad shoulders relative to hips
  • Only interested in foam, springs make me tense up
  • Not concerned about heat retention, I tend to sleep cold

I am currently living on a fixed income, but I have hope for that to change in the next couple years. I’d prefer an inexpensive solution with poor longevity over a long-lasting solution at a higher price. In other words, I’d rather buy X years of comfort for $Y than 2X years of comfort for $2Y. However, I realize that supportive but pressure-relieving materials are often pricey. Ultimately, I’m willing to spend whatever it costs for me to sleep through the night.

I perceive four basic options, ordered from least to most expensive:

  • Wait and see if the Zinus mattress just needs more break-in time - I’ve only slept on it a few nights, it’s still within the return window
  • Add a lumbar support cushion so my trunk can take more of the load off of my hips
  • Add a pressure-relieving topper
  • Buy a different mattress, return the Zinus - if I’m doing this, I’m especially interested in DIY or rebuildable options.

Thoughts?

*EDIT: I remember now, the transition layer in my first Zinus mattress was egg-crate foam. The new transition layer is flat foam with zoned support. That’s probably making a big difference for me. I think I need my transition layer to be a little softer/less resilient compared to my top layer in order to get pressure relief for my hips and support for my spine at the same time.

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Hi Schema and welcome to the Mattress Underground :slight_smile:

Sorry to hear about your trochanteric bursitis and piriformis syndrome - sounds painful and of course proper support is essential for you. Keep in mind any mattress you choose will be based on your Stats (height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health conditions) - thanks for providing those! - and your PPP (Posture & alignment, Pressuret relief, and Personal preferences). As you have a lower BMI, you have more options available to you, and can concentrate on support.

I took a look at the Zinus Green Tea mattress, which has:

(12")
2" MyGel memory foam
2.5" super soft foam
5.5" hd foam

As is common with the major brands, there is no information on the material composition or densities of any of the foams, which makes it impossible to assess how suitable or durable it might be for any sleeper. Using insufficiently dense foam, or inexpensive filler foam, can cause the mattress to prematurely wear, causing divots and ridges, which can exacerbate pain and even cause alignment issues. For example, We suggest any foam in a potential mattress has no more than an inch or so of lower grade foams (for memory foam no lower than 4 lbs/cuft for normal range weights, and 5lbs/cuft for higher range weights) and if polyfoam is used, with at least 1.8 lbs/cuft density, just to ensure you have support.

You are also correct your body profile may have changed over the years as well as your health conditions you are contending with. You may want to reconsider your ‘inexpensive solution with poor longevity over a long-lasting solution at a higher price’ - ideally finding a compromise with quality and within your budget, as an ‘inexpensive temporary solution’ can do more harm in the long run. Of course you may need additional time with the Zinus to break it in, as well as your body to adapt to it…as for other solutions, a lumbar pillow or a topper are also good possibilities, and are far less than buying a whole new mattress. Remember, no one can tell you what mattress is right for you, only you can determine that!

You should take time to consider how you feel on the Zinus during your sleep trial, and then review your options at that point. Hopefully other forum members can chime in with their own experiences…wishing you nights filled with comfortable sleep going forward!

~ Basilio

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Hi Schema,
I think Basilio kind of nailed it on his analysis. A couple of thoughts. Zinus is made and/or sourced in Indonesia. When mattresses are sourced/manufactured around the globe, quality control and consistency of materials can sometimes go awry. Many manufactures that constantly source their products overseas or in Asia and beyond tend to run into this issue, you try a mattress in the store and when you get one at home, and it doesn’t feel the same. Of course this can happen for a couple of reasons. The mattress takes a beating in the store or the materials are sort of within company tolerances, but not exact and become noticeable to the user. I would say take a look at a couple of these. They are in the same ball park price wise, but perhaps better materials and BB will always give you all the stats on their materials if you ask in their chat feature. The propel all foam is flippable so you can easily flip it if one side turns out to be too firm. The propel is a budget price, but a tiny step up from a budget mattress. It is on clearance, so unless there is a defect, they wont take returns. The Dreamfoam is their normal policies. I am also quite certain that one of our Manufacturer-Retail Stores :: The Mattress Underground could probably come up with something for you as well, but these two are ready to go. I think you may find either of these a good compromise to your longevity quotient. I tend to like a 3" talalay upper comfort layer for folks with certain medical conditions. Talalay tends to get a bit more expensive so the selections below, are probably the next best solution.

https://dreamfoambedding.com/products/chill-memory-foam-mattress/queen-12-inch
https://brooklynbedding.com/products/propel-all-foam/queen

**If you like the egg crate style foam, as you mentioned in you original post, then you can really go budget with this one. It is available in different firmness levels too. Super budget but as I like to quote, " The best mattress is the one that works best for you"
https://dreamfoambedding.com/products/dreamfoam-doze/queen-11-inch