Saatva’s Rx mattress is the first luxury model to be designed for sleepers who suffer from chronic back and joint conditions. Ideal for side sleepers and good for back and combination sleepers, this mattress falls on the softer side, with a body-contouring plushness that still relieves pressure on pain points on the back and joints. 

“As a lifestyle medicine physician, I appreciate that the Saatva Rx focuses on spinal alignment and pressure relief,” says Dr. Allie Buttarazzi, a Maine-based lifestyle medicine and primary care physician. Her work includes helping improve sleep, so she’s well-versed in mattress matters. 

This mattress “supports the back without sacrificing comfort, which is exactly what I recommend for patients with chronic back pain.” 

Trial period: 365 nights 

Winkbed’s mattress has been the recipient of a ton of awards from mattress-review websites, and for good reason. It’s exceptionally plush-feeling, with plenty of motion isolation and edge support for couples who like their own space at night — while still delivering the support and pressure relief chronic pain demands. 

“Winkbed is the No. 1 pick for back pain and earns the title for a couple of reasons,” says Derek Hales, a mattress tester who’s also CEO and founder at popular mattress-review site NapLab. “First, it has the best overall performance of any mattress I’ve tested. Second, it’s available in a wide range of firmnesses. This allows you to choose the firmness that is best suited to alleviate your specific back pain issues (be it from lack of support or insufficient comfort).” 

Trial period: 120 nights

Nectar’s mattresses get another vote, this time from InteroChiropractic chiropractor Jerry Hsieh.  It boasts a one-two punch of supportive innerspring coils with contouring memory foam that also reduces motion transfer, plus a cooling cover for hot sleepers. 

“In case of general back pain, I would recommend a medium-firm hybrid, such as the Nectar Premier Hybrid,” says Hsieh. “It provides the perfect compromise, being soft enough not to cause any pressure, yet hard enough to keep the spine in position.” 

Trial period: 365 nights 

Tempur-Pedic mattresses have been top of mind for sleep experts for years when it comes to their therapeutic benefits for those experiencing chronic pain, and this one combines the mattress-maker’s famous support and pressure relief with cool-to-the-touch construction and motion isolation that keeps tossing and turning couples happy.

“It keeps the spine aligned and supported without letting the lower back sink,” says Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, a spinal surgeon at the The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care in New Jersey. “The dense Tempur material adapts to your body while maintaining firmness, reducing morning stiffness, and easing pressure on the discs, which is ideal for anyone with chronic or post-surgical back pain.” 

Trial period: 120 nights 

Nectar’s mattresses are known for their combination of (relative) affordability and excellent value, and the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress is a model where that really shines through. It has 60% more cooling ability and twice the memory foam of Nectar’s classic edition for a firm, stable mattress with heat relief, pressure relief, support, and motion isolation layers built in. 

“After returning several coil mattresses that sagged in the middle, I finally tried a Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress while recovering from a ruptured disk—and it was a game changer,” says Dr. Brooke Brussard. “The consistent support and gentle cushioning eased my back pain and helped me sleep comfortably through the night.” 

Trial period: 365 nights

“For people dealing with back pain and people dealing with scoliosis, an orthopedic mattress is the best of the best,” says chiropractor and certified strength and conditioning specialist Matt Tanneberg, whose pick for best mattress for chronic back pain is the DreamCloud Classic. 

DreamCloud’s Classic Hybrid model has six layers that combine springs for support and motion isolation with an inch of pressure-relieving memory foam.

“It allows your spine to be in a neutral, stress-free position throughout the night,” Tanneberg says. “This will help to minimize the aches and pains of waking up in the morning.”

Typically, orthopedic mattresses tend to be a little pricier than others, he says. “However, if you have the budget for it, they will give you the most comfort and ‘back friendliest’ night of sleep available.” 

DreamCloud’s model, which rings up at less than $700, gives you a ton of pain-relieving features at an accessible price. 

Trial period: 365 nights

Sealy Posturepedics are famously supportive, with more than 23,000 five-star reviews. The hybrid construction is great for those with back pain since you get both coils for support and memory foam for sink-in comfort. 

“I would recommend a Sealy Posturepedic Plus Hybrid Medium mattress because it has the best of both worlds: foam contouring and coil support,” says Marchetti. “If you struggle with lower back pain like I do, then this is an option that keeps good spinal alignment without making your back feel stiff in the morning.”  

Trial period: 90 nights

Another vote for Saatva comes from mattress tester Marten Carlson, who’s also a certified sleep coach and sleep product expert. Saatva’s Luxury Firm Classic mattress relieves achy backs with a dual-coil ensign and chiropractor-approved Lumbar Zone Technology that ensures healthy spinal alignment to help alleviate pain, no matter if you’re a side, stomach, or back sleeper. 

“The Luxury Firm version of the Saatva Classic gave me a great balance of comfort and support,” Carlson says. “This helped keep my spine in neutral alignment. Also, the mattress is zoned, so it provided me with extra lumbar support. That also helped keep me in good spinal alignment, which can help prevent and ease back pain.” 

Trial period: 365 nights