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Orthopaedic mattresses
An orthopaedic mattress is usually a firmer, more supportive mattress, but orthopaedic has no legal or medical definition in the UK. Every mattress here shows its firmness on our 1 to 10 scale, so you can judge the feel, not the label.
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What is an orthopaedic mattress?
An orthopaedic mattress is one its maker describes as especially supportive, usually meaning a firmer build; in the UK the word has no legal or medical definition, so it isn't proof of any health benefit.
In practice, orthopaedic (or ortho) often signals a firmer spring unit or firmer foam, with less soft padding on top. Because there's no standard behind it, two mattresses both called orthopaedic can feel quite different, and a mattress without the label can be just as supportive. The firmness grade tells you more.
| Label | What it tells you | On our 1 to 10 scale |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopaedic | A description of a supportive build, with no fixed meaning | Varies, so check each mattress page |
| Firm | A firmness grade: you lie on top of the mattress | 9 to 10 |
| Medium-firm | A firmness grade: supportive, with a little give | 7 to 8 |
As a family-run shop, we'd rather explain what a label means than lean on it to sell you a mattress.
Is an orthopaedic mattress good for back pain?
An orthopaedic mattress isn't a treatment for back pain, and firmer isn't automatically better: a 2003 trial published in The Lancet found people with chronic lower back pain did better on a medium-firm mattress than a firm one.
That's worth knowing, because orthopaedic usually means firmer. The trial, by Kovacs and colleagues, is one study rather than the final word, and it can't tell you what suits your back. If you have ongoing back pain, see a GP or physiotherapist, who can advise on your own back. What a mattress can do is support you evenly for the way you sleep, and a sagging mattress stops doing that, whatever it was called when it was new. Our mattresses for back pain and medium-firm mattresses are good places to start.
Who suits an orthopaedic mattress?
Orthopaedic mattresses usually suit back sleepers, front sleepers, heavier builds and people who simply like a firm feel, because firmer support stops the hips sinking too far.
- Back sleepers: medium to medium-firm keeps the lower back supported.
- Front sleepers: medium-firm to firm, so the hips don't sink and arch the back.
- Heavier builds: a deeper mattress with a strong spring unit and firm edges. There's more in our mattresses for heavier people.
- Side sleepers: often better off with something softer. Shoulders and hips need to sink in, which usually means medium-soft to medium.
- Lighter adults and children: often find very firm mattresses hard.
Orthopaedic or memory foam: which is better?
Orthopaedic and memory foam aren't opposites: orthopaedic describes how firm and supportive a mattress is, while memory foam describes what it's made of, and some memory foam mattresses are sold as orthopaedic.
What you're really choosing between is feel. A firm, orthopaedic-style mattress, such as one built on a firm pocket spring unit, keeps you more on top of the surface, which suits back and front sleepers. Memory foam lets shoulders and hips sink in, which suits side sleepers. If both appeal, a medium-firm mattress with a memory foam layer over springs gives you some of each.
How do I choose a supportive mattress without relying on the label?
To choose a supportive mattress, look past the word orthopaedic to three things you can check: the firmness number, what's inside, and whether the mattress suits your sleep position and weight.
- Firmness number: there's no industry-wide firmness scale, so compare mattresses within one shop. Ours runs from 1, soft, to 10, firm.
- Construction: a strong spring unit or a dense foam base, with firm edges if you often sit on the side of the bed.
- Depth: heavier sleepers usually do better on a deeper mattress, often 25 cm and over.
- Base and condition: a firm mattress on a sagging base won't support you evenly. Check the slat spacing your mattress maker recommends, and remember a topper can soften a mattress but can't fix one that sags.
If you already know the feel you want, browse firm mattresses by number instead of by label. If you're unsure about a particular mattress, ask us.
Orthopaedic mattresses: your questions answered
Can't see your question? Ask us and we'll get back to you.
Are orthopaedic mattresses hard?
Orthopaedic mattresses are usually firm, but a good one shouldn't feel like lying on a board: it still has comfort layers that let your body settle a little. Because orthopaedic has no fixed meaning, check the firmness number on the mattress page. On our 1 to 10 scale, firm is 9 to 10 and medium-firm is 7 to 8.
Is an orthopaedic mattress good for children?
Most children don't need an orthopaedic mattress. Children usually sleep well on a supportive medium to medium-firm mattress, and lighter bodies often find very firm mattresses hard. If your child has a back or joint problem, ask your GP or a physiotherapist for advice rather than relying on a label.
Who shouldn't buy an orthopaedic mattress?
Side sleepers who need their shoulders and hips to sink in, lighter adults and most children may find an orthopaedic mattress too firm. Side sleepers usually do better on medium-soft to medium. Anyone with pain should ask a GP or physiotherapist for advice rather than assume a firmer mattress will help.
Is orthopaedic the same as firm?
Orthopaedic isn't quite the same as firm. Firm is a firmness grade, 9 to 10 on our scale, while orthopaedic is a description of a supportive build with no legal or medical definition. Many orthopaedic mattresses are firm, but some are medium-firm, so the number on the mattress page tells you more than the label.
Why is it called an orthopaedic mattress?
Orthopaedics is the branch of medicine that deals with bones, joints and muscles, and mattress makers borrowed the word to suggest firm support. Calling a mattress orthopaedic doesn't mean a medical body has tested or approved it: in the UK there's no legal or medical definition of an orthopaedic mattress.
Are orthopaedic mattresses good for heavier people?
Orthopaedic mattresses often suit heavier people, because firmer support stops the hips sinking too far. Look for a deep mattress with a strong spring unit and firm edges, and check any maximum weight guidance on the product page, rather than relying on the word orthopaedic alone.
Can I make an orthopaedic mattress softer?
A topper can make an orthopaedic mattress feel softer, usually with a layer of memory foam or fibre on top. A topper changes the feel of a mattress but can't fix one that has started to sag. If an orthopaedic mattress feels too firm from the start, a softer grade may suit you better than a topper.
Does an orthopaedic mattress need a special base?
An orthopaedic mattress doesn't need a special base, but it needs a firm, even one: a sagging base or widely spaced slats will undo the support. Check the slat spacing the mattress maker recommends, and on an adjustable bed choose a mattress flexible enough to bend with it, such as foam.
Not sure which mattress?
Tell us about your bed and how you sleep, and we'll suggest a few that fit.