Choosing a mattress if you have back pain

Support and comfort are two different things

Support comes from the core: the spring unit or the base foam. Comfort comes from the layers above it.

You want a core that holds your weight without sagging, plus enough comfort layer that your hips and shoulders are not pressed against it.

Very firm is not automatically better

The old advice to buy the firmest mattress available has not held up. Too firm and the shoulders and hips cannot settle, which pulls the spine out of line.

Medium-firm is where most people with back pain end up, but position and body weight shift that.

Zoned support is worth a look

Some mattresses use firmer springs or foam under the middle third, where most body weight sits, and softer zones at the shoulders.

Check what the brand actually describes rather than assuming the word 'zoned' means the same thing everywhere.

Talk to a professional about persistent pain

If pain is ongoing or waking you regularly, see a GP or physiotherapist. Treat a mattress as one factor, not a treatment.