Your mattress and chronic lower back pain and stiffness
One of the questions at the top of my list when dealing with chronic lower back pain is the age and firmness of your mattress. We all know that sleep is a major factor when dealing with chronic pain cases. Sleep is the time that allows our body to repair any damage to cells, but also is a major factor in decreasing chronic inflammation due to the increase in stress hormone production that occurs when we don’t get adequate hours of sleep.
Looking at the mattress itself though can also act as a mechanical factor. Sleep shouldn’t be a completely passive act. We want our bodies to fidget and change sleeping positions during the night to prevent stiffness, which can accumulate from sleeping in the one position for too long. Sometimes a soft mattress that lacks stability can result in your body to sink into the bed, making it difficult to change positions throughout the night. The lack of stability can also make it difficult to get up in the morning, as your body requires more strength and stability to push off a softer surface.
The age of a mattress can also be a factor, as the older the mattress the softer it can become. It’s recommended that most mattresses should be replaced between a 5- 10- year period.
So if you or someone you know is waking up with chronic morning stiffness or has long-term back pain, look into the mattress you’re sleeping on as it could be a contributing factor to providing you relief.
We recommend Back to sleep (pillow and mattress specialists) located in Balwyn, Melbourne.
This blog post was written by the osteopaths at Everything’s Connected Osteopathy. Everything’s Connected Osteopathy is your premier osteopathic clinic located in Camberwell Melbourne on Riversdale Road. Everything’s Connected Osteopathy are osteopaths who use movement to assess and treat musculoskeletal disorders. At Everything’s Connected all osteopaths have nutrition qualifications and are focused on an active treatment and management plan. Our clinic sees patients of all ages, ranging from children to the elderly. Common conditions typically presenting to the clinic include sports injuries, osteoarthritic related aches and pains, neck pain, back pain, weight loss and upper and lower limb injuries. To find out more about us at Everything’s Connected Osteopathy, click on the link here. Everything’s Connected Osteopathy is located at 734 Riversdale Road, Camberwell. We are a short 5-minute drive from Camberwell Junction and a 2-minute walk from Riversdale Road Train Station. Appointments can be made by calling us on 03 98886176 or emailing reception@everythingsconnected.com.au.
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