Seeking mattress advice hypermobility

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I am looking for a king sized mattress for my husband (age 31) and I (age 29). I am 125lbs and 5’5”. He is 193lbs and 5’10”. We are both mostly side sleepers, though he sometimes ends up on his back and I sometimes end up on my stomach. I have ehlers danlos, so having a mattress that is supportive enough for my hypermobile joints is especially important. Memory foam puts me in crazy amount of pain (and is way too hot). I have tried talalay and like the way it feels, and I have never tried Dunlop though I am very open to trying new things that might be better than what I’ve tried in the past. My husband is generally pretty easygoing about mattresses, and I’m definitely the tougher customer.

Having a mattress that I can change out parts over time and one that has a good return policy are priorities for me. I’d probably prefer something with at least some latex, but I’m open minded.

Regarding my mattress history, I bought the luxurion hybrid from latex mattress factory a couple month ago and it is comfortable for my husband (and mostly comfortable for me), but it was not quite right so I am planning to return it. More specifically, it wasn’t quite right for my shoulder and also maybe didn’t offer enough support overall for me (that’s my guess, but I’m not a mattress expert). I switch which side I sleep on throughout and I favor my left side. It takes a lot of effort to make sure I’m on my right side enough to balance things out as it feels like some joints around my hips or pelvis might be shifting out of alignment. I do have known SI joint dysfunction but I’m unsure if that is related. I typically just switch sides when I wake up in pain (it’s been like this for years). Before the luxurion hybrid I had a talalay topper on top of an old ikea mattress. The topper made the mattress much more comfortable, but it was never an ideal setup and was definitely worse than what I’m using now.

Any recommendations?

@BackScience

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I would be happy to offer you some advice based on my 25 years of experience as both a mattress designer and a Doctor of Chiropractic.

With Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobile joints, a mattress that offers better alignment of your spine and the ability to retain that alignment is essential for helping prevent dysfunctional imbalances of your joints. When your joints are already prone to shifting, such as your SI joint, any lack of core support or proper contouring will only exacerbate the issue.

You mentioned that your current latex hybrid wasn’t quite right for your shoulders. The challenge with latex is that, because of its inherent buoyant push-back, it is usually not supple enough to allow the shoulders to contour as well. If your shoulders cannot penetrate the mattress deeply enough while side sleeping, it forces your upper spine out of alignment. This misalignment then cascades down to your hips and pelvis, making you feel the need to constantly switch sides to balance things out.

I also understand that traditional memory foam has caused you pain and sleeps too hot. This is exactly why we use our proprietary ventilated hypergel-infused foams and Kool-Flow™ micro-vented bamboo cover, which breathe exceptionally well and provide adaptive pressure relief without that hot, sinking-sand feeling of traditional memory foam.

Because you need a highly supportive base with excellent surface contouring, I highly recommend our Back Science Series 2 Hybrid. I created Back Science to help with this exact type of scenario by utilizing the following:

1. True Lumbar Support: To keep your SI joints stabilized, you need immense center-support to prevent the hips from sinking. Back Science utilizes our patent-pending Lumbar-Flex™ Zoned Support. It actively reinforces the center third of the bed, giving your pelvis and lower back the rigid, elevated support they need to prevent that shifting feeling, without making the top of the bed feel like a rock.

2. Split Firmness: Because of the size and weight difference between you and your husband, we can build the mattress with a split internal firmness. We can give him the deep support he needs for his 193 lb frame, while dialing in the exact zone and comfort needed for your body frame sizing.

3. A Customizable Solutions: You specifically mentioned wanting a mattress where you can change out parts over time. While most customers find their Back Science mattress to be perfect from the get go, should you find that the mattress is too firm or too soft, we offer free customizations at no cost whatsoever to ensure that the mattress properly suits your needs. This is easily accomplished thanks to our GripLock modular cover system, whereby we can exchange internal components that will change the level of firmness and support of the mattress right from your own home.

While the Series 2 is my overall recommendation for you, because of the nuances of your condition, I would still love to discuss your situation in more depth to ensure we dial in the absolute perfect build. Please feel free to give us a call directly at 800-667-1969.

You can explore our designs and how our zoning works at www.BackScience.com. Also, don’t forget to use the code TMU10 for your Mattress Underground member discount.

Dr. Rick Swartzburg, D.C.
Founder and Head of Product Development

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