Top 3 Leg Pillows For Back Pain Relief
Waking up, feeling unrefreshed and having an aching back is a common experience for many people. There are a number of reasons why people wake up with sore backs, however, I believe the biggest reason a person’s sleep is disturbed by back pain is the body alignment they sleep with.
Sleeping on one’s stomach is a sleeping recipe for back pain, therefore there is not much that can be done for this position.(1.) However, back pain while sleeping on one’s side or back can be improved by tweaking the body alignment, which will improve sleeping posture, and as a result relieve the back pain.
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How Do I Relieve Back Pain By Improving My Body Alignment
Sleeping with incorrect body alignment places the spine in a bad position, putting strain and tension on the lower back muscles which leads to aches and pains. If you sleep on your side then placing a pillow between your knees can keep your body alignment in the correct position.
If you sleep on your back then placing a pillow under your knees can keep you body in the correct alignment. However, regular pillows do not provide adequate support and are often kicked out of position when a person moves in their sleep, therefore, purpose built pillows designed for both sleeping positions, are certainly worth giving a try.
The Best Leg Pillows For Back Pain Relief
My No.1 Pick Leg Pillow For Side Sleepers With Back Pain –
MedX Knee Pillow Pain Relief For Sciatic Nerve, Leg, Back And Pregnancy –
Knee pillows are small yet highly effective pillows that are designed to fit the shape between the knees of side sleepers. The reason why a side sleeper is prone to back pain is that when in this position their legs are not together and one leg is draped over the other.
This position can place a lot of strain on the spine and over time can lead to sciatica, pinched nerves, muscle spasms and overall lumbar region pain. By sleeping on your side and placing the MedX leg pillow between your bent knees, the body is placed in the correct alignment, relieving stress and tension from the lower back.
The reason I recommend the MedX pillow is due to its comfort and customer satisfaction guarantee. The pillow is made of quality memory foam and has a removable and washable cover that also allows air to circulate through the pillow. The company has a no hassle money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the product and is a best seller with many satisfied customers.
The memory foam is strong enough to be suitable for both small and large sleepers. The MedX knee pillow is made of medical grade materials and is perfect for side sleepers suffering from sciatic nerve pain, Baker Cyst , arthritis of the back, hips and legs. The MedX pillow is also a great pillow for pregnant women suffering from lower back pain.
Pros –
- Made from medical grade material
- Memory foam is suitable for all weight sizes
- Cover is removable and washable and also allows air to circulate, keeping the pillow cool
- Best seller
- No hassle money back guarantee if not satisfied with the product
Cons –
- Memory foam may have an initial slight odor, however once aired, the odor should disappear
My Top Recommended Leg Pillow For Back Sleepers With Back Pain –
InteVision Ortho Bed Wedge with High Quality, Removable Cover (Size: 8″ x 21″ x 24″) –
When sleeping on your back it is important to have your legs elevated to place the spine in the correct position. This correct positioning of the spine by elevating the legs will allow the spinal muscles to relax, relieving tension and loosening the muscles of the lumbar region.
Many people try to stuff regular pillows under their knees, however, this method is difficult to get the right elevation and also too easy to kick the pillows out of position when asleep. The InteVision is the ideal leg pillow to elevate the legs and at the correct height and position.
This leg pillow is made of high quality memory foam for comfort and support and what is more, it has a flat bottom, reducing the chances of you getting your legs underneath it and kicking it out of the bed while sleeping. The two layered memory foam design is made with a firm foam base and a soft foam layer on top to give that added comfort to your legs. The pillow comes with a high quality, removable cover that can be easily washed to keep the pillow fresh.
The InteVision Ortho Bed Wedge is a great leg pillow that not only provides great back pain relief by elevating the legs but also improves blood circulation in the lower body.
Pros –
- Best seller
- Improves circulation
- Relaxes the spine
- Firm foam base for support, memory foam on top for comfort
- Removable, washable cover to maintain freshness
Cons –
- Initial memory foam odor, that will disappear once aired
My Top Rated Leg Pillow/Body Pillow for Good Posture And Pain Relief –
Body Pillow by Snuggle-Pedic – Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Combination With Kool-Flow Cover –
Leg pillows are designed to place the body in the correct alignment by firstly placing the legs in the correct position.
What I really like about body pillows is that they make sleeping correctly, really fun. By putting the giant pillow between your knees and then hugging the top part with your arms, you not only have a snug, cozy pillow to sleep with but it also keeps your body in line, which relaxes the spine and lower back muscles.
Why this pillow? If you would like to compare some other body pillows, check out my other post on the best body pillows to relieve back pain, however, I really like this one. This pillow is the best selling body pillow on Amazon and I will tell you why.
The pillow is made of shredded memory foam that will never go flat and is covered in a kool- flow removable cover that allows air to circulate through the shredded foam keeping the pillow dry, cool and fresh.
The pillow is made from Certipur-US foam and has a hypo-allergenic and dust resistant cover. What is really great about this product is that if you don’t like it within 90 days of purchase, you can get your money back.
The Snuggle-Pedic Body Pillow is the leading body pillow on the market and would be a great addition for those trying to prevent sciatica, arthritic pain, pinched nerves in the spine and a host of other back pain problems.
Pros –
- Hypo-allergenic and dust mite resistant
- Certipur-US memory foam
- Won’t go flat
- Made in the USA
- Light for such a large pillow
- 20 year warranty
- 90 day sleep trial
Cons –
- Contains memory foam so may have slight odor for first few days but will soon disappear
Conclusion
Improper body alignment when sleeping is one of the leading causes of back pain. Proper posture in bed is easily attainable with the correct leg pillow and should be a must for all sleepers suffering from back pain.
As simply as placing a specially designed knee pillow between the knees for side sleepers or placing a wedge pillow under the legs of back sleepers, can make a world of difference in a person’s sleeping posture. Body pillows are also worth considering for an all in one leg to head body alignment sleeping experience.