Best Adjustable Beds for Back Pain

By now, most people know that adjustable beds have a range of benefits, and alleviating back pain is one of the big ones. Whether you need to elevate your legs to relieve sciatica pain or get into the zero-gravity position for lower back pain relief or ease back pain from a physically demanding job, there’s an adjustable bed frame for you.

“80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Adjustable beds can be a great option for anyone looking to reduce back pain and improve their overall quality of sleep,” says Dr. Jordan Burns.

Below, we’ll talk about some of the best adjustable beds for back pain relief. These beds offer all sorts of positions that can help relieve pressure and tension. Some also have other pain-relieving features like vibrating or rolling wave massagers. Any one of them could help ease your pain and offer you an amazing night’s sleep.

Best Adjustable Bed for Back Pain of 2023

The Amerisleep Adjustable Bed+ has tons of features that can help ease back pain. One of the best is the rolling wave massager. The rolling action and three different intensity settings allow you to choose exactly the right level of pressure to alleviate your back pain by helping you relax stiff and sore muscles.

Another feature that can help relieve your back pain is the preset zero-gravity position. A zero-gravity setup puts your legs and head above your heart. This takes the pressure off of your vertebral column. This can relieve lower back pain. It can also alleviate shoulder and neck pain for side sleepers by taking pressure off the shoulder joints and aligning the neck.

Aside from the back pain-relieving features, the Adjustable Bed+ has tons of convenience features. It has USB charging ports so that you don’t have to worry about losing outlets when you plug in your adjustable bed. It also sports underbed lighting to help you get up at night for a bathroom break or a quick snack without having to turn on the light.

You may also enjoy the wireless connectivity that this bed frame features. Not only can you control your adjustable bed with its accompanying wireless remote. You can also connect it to a mobile app or use voice commands by linking it to Alexa or Google Assistant.

This gives you options to control your bed how you want – a fantastic feature for those who tend to lose their remote control if it isn’t chained to the bed.

The great thing about this adjustable bed is you have other options if you’re shopping on a budget. The Adjustable Bed+ has a base-model counterpart: the Amerisleep Adjustable Bed. This base model doesn’t offer the luxury features that the Adjustable Bed+ has, but it still offers the ability to articulate your mattress for a much lower price.

“The Amerisleep Adjustable Bed+ is a great option for anyone looking to alleviate back pain and tension, reduce muscle aches or improve their overall quality of sleep,” says Dr. Burns.

While there are a wide range of Amerisleep mattresses to bundle with the brand’s adjustable beds, we recommend the medium-firm AS2 as the best option for anyone seeking back pain relief.

SEE ALSO: Best Medium-Firm Mattresses

If your back pain is due to athletic training or a physically demanding job, the Zoma Adjustable Bed might just be for you. This adjustable bed was created to pair with the Zoma Sports Mattress – the perfect mattress for recovery from physical activity. That means it’s got tons of features that can help you bounce back from back pain.

“The Zoma Adjustable Bed is an incredibly affordable option for anyone looking for an adjustable mattress that provides spinal support while also helping to alleviate back tension and pain,” says Dr. Burns.  

The Zoma Adjustable Bed sports a dual vibrating massager that lets you target your lower body, upper body, or both at the same time. The three intensity settings also allow you to decide whether you want gentle relaxation or full-on relief.

The Zoma also has deep articulation to ensure you can sit up as far as you like. It goes all the way up to a 60-degree angle. That means if you want to sit up straight to watch TV or read, you can angle the bed almost like a lounge chair.

Another great feature of the Zoma is its adjustable height. It’s got stackable legs that allow you to pick which bed height works for you. This can be a huge help to people coming in sore and tired from a long day of physical work.

The Zoma also has the excellent convenience features you’d expect of a modern adjustable bed, like USB charging ports and underbed lighting. It also comes with a wireless, backlit remote control for easy adjustments.

As we mentioned, the adjustable bed was designed to pair with one of Zoma’s mattresses. Shoppers who bundle the base with a mattress will receive an added discount.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattress for Athletes

If you’re looking for an adjustable bed frame that does all the shopping for you, look no further than the GhostBed Adjustable Bed. This adjustable frame allows you to bundle the mattress and the bed frame so that you don’t have to do a lot of extra legwork to find a mattress. So if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to shop too much, this could be the bed for you.

When you choose the split king adjustable bed, you have the choice to bundle the two adjustable bed frames with two twin XL GhostBed mattresses. You can pick from one of four options:

• GhostBed Classic
• GhostBed Luxe
• GhostBed Flex
• GhostBed 3D Matrix

Stomach and back sleepers should consider the firmer Flex and Classic options, while those who need extra pressure relief, like side sleepers, should choose the softer Luxe or Matrix. All these split king mattresses are incredibly comfortable and compatible with the adjustable base.

The GhostBed Adjustable Bed doesn’t just offer the bundle. It has lots of other amazing features as well. It offers a whisper-quiet massage feature that can relax you into sleep without the noise interrupting your slumber.

The Adjustable Bed also provides adjustable legs that allow you to choose the profile that works for your mattress depth and your height.

Finally, the adjustable bed doesn’t slouch in the technology department either. It has a programmable wireless remote with preset positions like anti-snore and zero-gravity. And it also comes with USB charging ports and underbed lighting.

SEE ALSO: King vs. Split King

If you want luxury and advanced technology all wrapped into one adjustable bed, check out the Lineal Adjustable Bed Base by Saatva. This base has it all. It’s got a full-body rolling wave massage that can also target your upper and lower body for targeted back pain relief.

The Lineal also offers lots of technology features, like a one-touch remote with both programmable and preset buttons. It also has underbed illumination to help you navigate your bedroom without turning on the lights.

Another great feature of this adjustable bed is its wall-hugging design. When the head of the bed goes upward, the base slides backward to keep your body against the headboard and between your nightstands for easy access.

But the luxury doesn’t end there. The Lineal offers free in-room delivery and setup. So you don’t have to worry about how complex or not complex the Lineal is because you’ll never be dealing with it at all.

The Lineal doesn’t just offer luxury. It boasts high quality and durability as well. This is demonstrated by its robust 25-year warranty. With this mattress, you’ll never have to worry about poor construction or premature wear and tear.

SEE ALSO:  Best Mattress Toppers for Back Pain

How to Choose the Right Adjustable Bed for You

With so many adjustable beds on the market nowadays, you might be tempted to just randomly pick one – research or no research. However, this is generally a bad idea. You need to keep a few things in mind while you shop so that you can make the right selection.

Bed Height

Those without mobility issues don’t have to (and likely won’t) give a second thought to their bed’s height other than the way it looks. If you do have mobility issues, on the other hand, you’ll need to pay attention to your bed’s profile, such as when considering an adjustable bed for seniors.

The ideal bed height allows you to sit comfortably on the edge of the bed with your feet flat on the floor and your thighs horizontal. This height allows you to get in and out of bed without a struggle.

So you’ll want to look for adjustable beds that offer a range of height options. Many adjustable beds nowadays come with stackable legs that allow you to choose from one of several height options. Another option available is to get an adjustable bed that fits in your existing bed frame.

SEE ALSO: How to Find the Best Bed Risers

Ease of Assembly

If you’re good with a tool belt, this one might not be a problem for you. However, if you’re not all that handy, you may want to take a look at how easy your adjustable bed is to put together before you buy.

Thankfully, there are lots of adjustable beds on the market that come with easy assembly kits. These bed frames require minimal tools and can be assembled in just a few minutes. And if you don’t want to deal with it at all, just look for an adjustable bed with free white glove delivery. Many adjustable beds offer services that will set the bed up for you in the room of your choice.

Price

Quality adjustable beds are not cheap, so you can expect to pay more for one than you would for a regular bed frame. However, you also don’t have to break the bank. If you stick to base model beds without a lot of bells and whistles, you can expect to pay as little as $700 for a smaller-sized adjustable bed.

If you do want luxury features like massagers or USBs or wireless connectivity, you can expect to pay a lot more. Up to $3,500 for a larger-sized adjustable base.

Range of Motion

Most adjustable beds have a wide range of motion, but some don’t. So if you want to sit straight up in bed or keep your feet elevated at a sharp angle, you’ll need to make sure your adjustable bed frame has a wide range of motion.

Ninety degrees is straight up, while 45 degrees is perfectly diagonal. That means when you account for the mattress, sitting straight up in bed will require around a 60-degree angle. So look for that when you shop for an adjustable base.

Single/Split Base

When you’re considering the benefits of an adjustable bed, you may not realize you could be dealing with a split base. If you’re shopping for a smaller bed size (queen or lower), you will likely have a single base bed frame.

If you’re in the market for a king or California king, however, be aware you’ll likely be dealing with a split base. Don’t worry, though. Most split bases can still accommodate a single mattress if that’s what you want. Just make sure they have an auto-sync feature that makes both sides act as one.

Special Features

Adjustable beds can have just about any feature you want. They can sport massagers, USB ports, underbed lighting, and even built-in heating elements. There’s basically no limit to the luxury features that can come with adjustable beds, plenty of which pair well with a mattress for sitting up for increased daytime comfort.

However, these features come at a cost. If you want a reasonably priced adjustable bed, you might want to stick with ones that just feature articulation and a quiet motor.

Warranty

It goes without saying that you should avoid any and all adjustable beds that don’t come with a warranty. At a bare minimum, warranties should cover parts and manufacturer defects for at least one year.

However, warranties are a good indicator of how well a manufacturer has made a product. If a manufacturer has made a quality product that they expect to stand the test of time, they will offer a robust warranty that lasts a good, long while. Ideally, a warranty should last at least a decade.

Just make sure you’re reading the fine print on your potential adjustable base’s warranty. You want to ensure there are not a bunch of loopholes that allow the manufacturer to wiggle out of offering coverage. A 10-year warranty that doesn’t cover anything is functionally worthless.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses With A Warranty

Weight Capacity

All adjustable beds have a maximum weight capacity. This is the maximum amount of weight the bed can hold before it breaks or starts to wear out. Typically, the maximum weight for adjustable beds is in the 500 to 1,000-pound range, but you can go higher if you need to.

Remember, the adjustable bed’s max capacity isn’t just your and your partner’s weight. It includes the weight of the mattress as well. So you’ll need to have a very good idea of how heavy your mattress is before using it on the adjustable bed frame.

Mattress Compatibility with an Adjustable Base

Not every mattress is compatible with an adjustable base – and of those that are, some are better than others. That means you need to be careful what kind of mattress you put on an adjustable bed. Even if you want to put your existing mattress on your new adjustable base, that may not be possible, depending on what type of mattress it is.

Hybrid

Typically, hybrid mattresses are a fine choice for adjustable beds. These mattresses have pocketed coil support cores, meaning each coil is individually wrapped in its own foam or cloth case. Pocketed coils can all move independently of one another. So a typical hybrid can flex with your adjustable bed, no problem.

However, some hybrids are not intended to pair with an adjustable bed. The movement of the bed may harm stiff foam edge support railing or rearrange the internal coils. That means you’ll need to ensure your hybrid is meant to go on an adjustable base before laying it there.

You’ll also need to think about weight. Hybrids are heavy mattresses. So when you shop for an adjustable bed to fit your mattress or a mattress to fit your adjustable bed, you’ll need to ensure the weight of your mattress does not exceed the max weight capacity of your adjustable bed. Remember, the max weight also includes the weights of all sleepers using the bed.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses are still the most popular mattress type, but they are incompatible with adjustable bases in all cases. Innerspring mattresses have networked coil support cores. These open coils are wired together, and all move as a single unit. This makes innerspring mattresses extremely stiff.

If you put an innerspring mattress on an adjustable base, a few things could happen. The mattress might “float” over the bed when it bends out of the flat position. The mattress might also break. In the worst-case scenario, the mattress could break the adjustable bed itself.

Memory Foam

Of all the mattress materials on the market, memory foam is the best mattress for adjustable bases. This is because of a few different memory foam attributes. Memory foam is comparatively lightweight, meaning you generally won’t have to worry about it being too heavy for an adjustable bed frame.

Memory foam mattresses are also incredibly flexible. They can follow the shape of your bed from head to foot, regardless of which position you put it into. Memory foam can also follow the curve of your body just as well. This will enhance the pressure and pain relief offered by your adjustable bed.

You also won’t have to worry about a memory foam mattress for back pain wearing out from being on an adjustable bed. It’s not quite as durable as latex, but it can stand up to being bent out of shape night after night. That means you can expect your memory foam mattress to last just as long on an adjustable bed as it would on a flat one.

SEE ALSO: How Long Does a Mattress Last?

Natural Latex

Natural latex comes in second only to memory foam in terms of the best materials for adjustable bases. When comparing latex to memory foam, latex foam is much more durable. So if you want a mattress that can stand up to whatever your adjustable base can throw at it, latex is the foam for you.

Natural latex wants to retain its own shape more than memory foam does. That makes an organic latex mattress a little less flexible. But it’s still more than flexible enough to move with the curve of your adjustable bed and the curve of your body. If you sleep hot or like to toss and turn, springy and breathable latex may be more comfortable for you than memory foam.

One ding against latex is its weight. Latex mattresses are very heavy, so the chances of a latex mattress exceeding your adjustable bed frame’s weight capacity are higher than with memory foam. That means you’ll need to pay special attention to how much your mattress weighs in comparison to your adjustable bed’s weight capacity.

SEE ALSO: What is GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard)?

Specific Mattresses for Back Pain

Aside from the mattress type, you may also want to consider how a mattress can ease symptoms of a condition. Some are better tailored to serve as mattresses for back pain:

• Best Mattresses for Joint Pain
• Best Mattresses for Sciatica
• Best Mattresses Recommended By Chiropractors
• Best Mattresses for Herniated Disc
• Best Mattresses for Spondylolisthesis

FAQs

How does an adjustable bed help with back pain?

Adjustable beds help with back pain by relieving pressure and putting your spine into a healthier position. The zero-gravity position is particularly good for lower back pain. Elevating the legs and head above the heart puts your spine into a completely neutral position. This takes the pressure off the pelvis and vertebral column.

Sleeping with the legs elevated may also help relieve sciatica pain. Bending your knees and keeping your legs above your back can help alleviate pressure on the sciatic nerve. This can, in turn, keep you from experiencing sciatica pain – even when you’re not in bed!

Do adjustable beds have other benefits besides back pain relief?

Adjustable beds have tons of fantastic benefits other than back pain relief. They can also help relieve joint pain by increasing circulation and reducing the joint inflammation commonly associated with arthritis pain.

Adjustable beds can also use gravity to help reduce the symptoms of other medical ailments. For instance, sleeping with your head elevated above your stomach can help keep your stomach acid from bubbling up into your esophagus. This can relieve nocturnal acid reflux.

Gravity can also help relieve snoring and obstructive sleep apnea symptoms. When you have sleep apnea, the soft tissues in your throat fall into your airways when your muscles relax during sleep. Keeping your head elevated during sleep can help keep your soft tissues in place and your airways unobstructed. This can improve both sleep apnea and loud snoring alike.

Which types of back pain do adjustable beds help?

Adjustable beds can help with all kinds of back pain. They can help lower back pain by aligning the spine better than lying flat does. They can help sciatica by positioning the legs to take pressure off the sciatic nerve. They can even help upper back pain by keeping the shoulders better positioned and the neck supported.

Another way these beds may help back pain that most people don’t consider is what they can do for stomach sleepers. Sleeping on your stomach can cause all kinds of issues. It can cause neck pain from keeping your head turned to the side. This can lead to shoulder pain from overextension as well. Stomach sleeping also causes lower back pain because it overarches the lumbar region and pulls it out of alignment.

Adjustable beds can help you train yourself out of sleeping in this unhealthy position. Not only is it impossible to sleep on your stomach with an adjustable bed in the upright position. You might just find the zero gravity position is more comfortable, anyway.

Do I have to oil or otherwise maintain my adjustable bed?

That depends on the adjustable bed. Some adjustable beds are designed to be maintenance-free, while others may come with instructions for how and when to oil them intermittently. Your adjustable bed’s owner’s manual should contain all the information you need to know to maintain your adjustable bed frame.

As far as your adjustable bed mattress is concerned, you will need to rotate it once a month to avoid impressions and wear. When you sleep upright, most of your body weight is pressed into a small section of the mattress. Rotating the mattress helps ensure your weight is distributed across more of the mattress. So it won’t develop sagging or soft spot issues.

What tools do I need to set up my adjustable bed?

Setting up different brands of adjustable bases may require different sets of tools. Some beds rely on a slot and tab system that doesn’t have many nuts and bolts. These easy-assembly bed frames may require minimal tool usage or no tools at all. Other adjustable beds may come with hex keys or other tools required for assembly.

Other adjustable beds may have more parts and require more advanced assembly. Your adjustable bed will come with assembly instructions that tell you what tools you need. But in general, you should expect to need a multi-bit screwdriver and possibly a monkey wrench to assemble your bed.

Bottom Line

The great thing about today’s bedding market is you have so many options. This abundance of choices makes it easier to find what you’re looking for at a price you’re comfortable paying. But it also makes it much harder to know if you’re making the right choice when it comes to relieving back painVerified Source National Library of Medicine (NIH)World’s largest medical library, making biomedical data and information more accessible.View source.

The good news is if you keep your individual needs and preferences in mind while you shop, it’s much easier to find the right adjustable bed for you.