Mattress to support lower back without bursitis

Hi Carrie,

Thank you for your question. The advice used to be that anyone with back issues needed a firm mattress but this is not the case. You need the correct level of support provided by the springs and comfort layers based on your sleep positions.

Orthopaedic mattresses have a firm or extra firm spring tension. The problem is that you need to be at least 20 stone to activate the springs. If the springs are not active, they can not move with you, which means they are not supporting you, and you essentially have a table top of wire with upholstery layers on to. The correct level of support is based on your height and weight. At your body weight, we would pair you with the medium spring tension. We would need your partner's body weight and height to determine which spring tension would provide them with the correct level of support.

The Simba mattress is a firmer medium memory foam mattress that can be very firm for light-weight sleepers. We do not sell or recommend memory foam as it is very heat-retentive. It requires body heat as well as pressure to be able to mould to you, which it retains and feeds back to the sleeper, making a lot of customers overheat.

We do not recommend pillowtop mattresses as you can not prolong the lifespan of the mattress by regularly turning it over. When you turn a two-sided mattress over, the upholstery layers that you have been sleeping on get time to rest and regain some loft. You can replicate the feel of a pillowtop mattress with a two sided mattress and a separate mattress topper. Both parts are then fully turnable and once the mattress topper reaches the end of its life, you can just replace this instead of the whole mattress.

The upholstery layers on top of the springs determine how the mattress feels. The fibres that are used and the amount of these fibres, and the way that they are layered create the level of comfort, and each mattress has a different feel. I would not recommend soft upholstery layers, although these would be ideal when sleeping on your side, you could sink in too much when on your back. If you sink too much into the comfort layer when you are sleeping on your back, it can raise your ankles and neck, which then puts pressure on your lower spine, creating pain in this area.

I would recommend a medium level of comfort, such as the Artisan Bespoke 004 and the Artisan Naturals, which will give you cushioning for your shoulders and hips in the top layers but be more supportive underneath for when you are sleeping on your back. From a comfort point of view, both mattresses feel the same. The only difference is the natural fibre content; the Artisan Bespoke 004 is constructed with 100% natural fibres and the Artisan Naturals is constructed with 85% natural fibres. They both have the same handmade calico pocket springs and hand side stitching along with the same manufacturer's guarantee of 10 years.

I hope this helps and if you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact the office on 0161 437 4419.

Kind Regards

Michaela