the best pattresses for arthritis

annriley

:?: My mum has very bad arthritis and is also elderly. She has a mattress which is very soft and comfortable but it is also very deep and so the bed/mattress combination is too high for her. She has fallen out a couple of times and also tends to sit on the edge of the bed and slips down as the edges are soft. I have to turn it weekly (from front to back rather than upside down) to avoid her slipping off the edge. So I need a thinner mattress with a firm edge but still comfortably soft.
I have seen a lot of claims about memory foam for sufferers but have no direct experience, and a new mattress is a big investment so I wonder if anyone can comment on these or any others for suitability?

dreamdaisy

There are many threads on this and all have given rave reviews. You might be able to buy a thinner, supportive mattress and then add a topper - they have also been successful for people. I am seriously considering buying a single topper for my side of our kingsize.

When we were bed-hunting ten years ago my arhtritis was nowhere near as bad as it is now. We tried a memory foam mattress then and loathed it. Needs must now: so many have said how much better they are sleeping I reckon it's worth a shot, and a single topper can be bought quite cheaply. Dreamdaisy

oneday

memory foam mattress toppers are lovely and comfy.

cthornley

Ann

It is a balancing act and the problem is its as you say a costly exercise.
When we bought a new mattress we went for a combination effort - its a firm sprung mattress at the bottom with a memory foam upper they are combined to form one mattress. As it is this type you don’t turn it just rotate it every 6 months.
It has been great it firm enough to give support for my back and to cope with the difference between me and my husband ( if we aren’t careful some beds make me roll towards my husband’s dent....i’m tiny , him not so much ) but has enough give to take the pressure of specific joints
The added advantage is that as its combined in one it’s not as thick as it would be if it were 2 separate mattresses I do find that some seem to be huge and with my little legs that is just not a good idea. The main downside I have found with the memory foam option is that it can make the bed a bit hot but we got round this by buying a very good lighter duvet and it just means that except in very cold weather we only have a 4.5 tog.
I would however suggest that you try out whatever you are looking at with your mum as I suspect what suits her will be somewhat different to everybody else.
We were very lucky when we bought our last 3 mattresses we bought them from a local independent shop who gave us lots of very useful advice, don’t know what we’ll do next time though as the wonderful couple have retired and shut up shop

Chrissie

dreamdaisy

Oh yes, go to an independant firm, not a chain - that's a good point. People like Dreams are not good at their jobs - they are salespeople, that's it. Go to an independant - they know their stuff ands will give very good advice, and possibly a good discount for cash! DD

sharmaine

Hi

I've found a memory foam mattress topper helps cushions my joints. They are stable. My mattress itself is fairly firm but the memory foam mattress topper makes it more comfy.
You can buy memory foam mattresses rather than toppers online ... much more choice and not so pricey.

Sharmaine

speedalong

Hi Ann,

I would suggest a firm orthopaedic mattress with a mattress topper on top. The ortho mattress will be firm and the mattress topper (middle price range one - got mine from Argos) will be soft but supportive. Alternatively a firm ortho mattress with a thick, quality duvet on top will also serve as a decent topper ... get some of those sheet clips to keep it in place.

I have the first combination ... my mattress was reasonably new but as my arthritis got worse - I needed something softer - this was a good compromise. However when staying with friends - the other option is a very good alternative.

Speedy

lozza812

I'm with Chrissie on this one. I bought a combination sprung/memory foam mattress some years ago and wouldn't sleep on anything else.
Nice firm base with a very comfortable top. You don't have to turn them at all and there is no 'roll together'.
I also found them a bit warmer than the normal sort and had to buy a thinner quilt.
Loz

woodbon

Hello,
I have a memory foam pillow and mattress topper for a king size bed. Personally I love the memory foam and would'nt be without it, even my husband likes the mattress topper! If I had to buy a new mattress, I'd have memory foam, but as the mattress is quite new we settled for the topper.

Like everything, though, I expect some people either don't notice any difference or it makes them feel worse. Thats another good reason for starting with a topper.

I hope you get your Mum sorted out with something she likes. Has she spoken to the OT about falling out of bed as they may be able to suggest something to help.
Love Sue