Low Back Pain: Best Sleeping Positions

The lifetime prevalence of Low back pain in Australia is like that of other western countries including the US and UK. It is estimated that the incidence of non-specific low back pain is 60-70% of all adults in industrialized countries. In a single year it is estimated by the World Health Organisation that low back pain will affect 15-45% of all adults within the population.

Understanding Back Pain and how to prevent it are essential for you to maintain a healthy back and spine throughout your lifespan. Living free of pain in your back, or indeed within any area of your body, strongly correlates with living a healthy and full life. Being able to undertake your exercise and activities of daily living are vital for you to live and move freely.

At Elite Myotherapy this is precisely why our goal for all clients is to ‘Move Well, Love Life’.

If your one of the 60-70% of adults within the Australian community that experiences back pain within your lifetime; management and treatment of this pain is essential. Myotherapy and rehabilitation exercises are a powerful treatment combination to overcome and avoid low back pain.

One important strategy for managing low back pain is to ensure you sleep in a bio-mechanically correct position. A correct sleeping position essentially means a position which minimises the pressure through the joints in your spine.

If your spine is twisted (i.e. if your mattress is too soft) you will open the disc space within your spine and rotate joints. This can irritate the spine and facet joints causing pain. This rotation of your spine can also place muscles of your lower back into a prolonged stretch position; again, resulting in irritation and pain.

Best Sleeping Positions for Low Back Pain

The best sleeping position for treating and managing back pain is to sleep on your side with an appropriately fitted pillow to support your neck. Whilst lying on your side, bend your knees and place a pillow between your knees. The pillow will ensure your hips don’t rotate whilst you are sleeping and will keep you knees even distance apart.

Once you have established this side lying position with your knees bent and a pillow between your knees: position another pillow in from of your chest and stomach. Rest your top arm along this pillow which will prevent your upper body from twisting and rotating forward.

If your unable to lye on your side due to concurrent hip or shoulder pain; the alternative to this sleeping position above is to lye on your back with a pillow under your bent knees. Use one or two pillows under your knees determined by your comfort levels. This supine and bent knee sleeping position is designed to change the position of your pelvis slightly so you can gently flatten and reduce the curve in your lumbar spine. This sleeping position can be especially helpful for people with low back pain caused through disc irritation.

It is vital that you avoid sleeping on your stomach as this can increase the arch of your lower back and increase pain.

If you would like more advice in the treatment of management of your low back pain, speak with an Elite Myotherapy team member today!