Hello, it looks like I am the first person to ask about scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and which type of mattress would be most comfortable for someone with the condition. I have just started my research and I am currently sleeping on a 4 inch memory foam mattress topper which conforms well to my body and fills the unnatural curves that characterize my body. I find the information in the articles overwhelming. I am a side sleeper and generally sleep on my right side as it is painful to sleep on my left side due to the scoliosis. Does anyone have any advice?
Hi Goldberg,
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always 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”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable 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).
A forum search on scoliosis (you can just click the link) will bring up all the forum posts and topics that mention it (along with any linked posts that mention scoliosis in the title) but I would always keep in mind that there is no such thing as a mattress that is “best for scoliosis” or any other health or medical condition … there is only a mattress that is “best for YOU” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP. Each person is unique and a mattress that is perfect for one person with scoliosis may be completely unsuitable for someone else with scoliosis to sleep on if they have a different body type, sleeping style, sensitivities, preferences, or differences in the severity of their scoliosis.
The steps involved in finding the best mattress for anyone with any specific health or medical condition would be the same as my reply in post #2 here and are also the same steps as choosing a mattress for someone that has no health or medical conditions because the two main functions of any mattress that would apply to anyone are to keep your spine and joints in neutral alignment (whatever that may be for you) and to provide good pressure relief in all your sleeping positions.
In its simplest form … choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …
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Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.
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Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress (see the durability guidelines here).
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Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
If you are interested in local options then if you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
If you are considering online options then the mattress shopping tutorial includes several links to lists of many of the better online options I’m aware of (in the optional online step) that include many different types and categories of mattresses (see this article) that use different materials and components in a wide range of designs, budgets, firmness levels, and with different return/exchange policies that may be well worth considering as well.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix. I didn’t think there was an easy answer. I did search the forum for “scoliosis” but nothing came up, Maybe I made a mistake . Thank you for your response, I have a lot of work ahead of me but it will be worth it once I find the “best” mattress for myself. - Goldberg
Hi Goldberg,
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding … and of course to any other comments or questions you may have along the way that I or any of the other more knowledgeable members of the site can help with.
Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the durability guidelines here relative to your weight/BMI range … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice (see this article).
A good place to start would be some local testing to get a general sense of the types of materials and mattresses and a general idea of the firmness level that you tend to prefer.
Phoenix