Sleep Positions for Less Low Back Pain

February 22, 2019 9:00 am by Rebecca Weiner, PT, DPT, ASTYM certified1
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As a physical therapist, one of the biggest complaints I receive about low back pain

(LBP) is about how it can impact one’s ability to sleep through the night. According

to research, low back pain is the second most common cause of disability in adults

in the U.S., and the most common reason for lost work days.1

Over 80 percent of the population will experience an episode of LBP at some time

during life. There are many components that can contribute to low back pain at

night, including mattress, mattress pad, pillows, room temperature and sleeping

position. In fact, research shows that proper sleep position can align the spine to

some extent into its neutral posture, which is the same as the spine alignment in

upright posture.2

Since sleeping position is one of the best and easiest things to adjust, we are

highlighting some of the best sleeping positions for low back pain below:
 Side sleepers: Please note that you can use a regular sized pillow between your

knees, a body pillow or a snoogle. The snoogle is usually recommended during

pregnancy for sleeping, but it can also be helpful for people with low back pain.

For all of the positions above, you may have to play around with the size and

thickness of the pillow you are using. If you have very flat pillows, you may need to

use more than one. Because of this, it is best to test out different size pillows and

see which works best for you and your spine.

If none of these positions help you out after a few nights, schedule an appointment

for a free assessment at your nearest Athletico clinic so our experts can help

identify the cause of your pain.