I am finding that whilst I'm lying down, my back does not hurt but when I get out of bed, my back feels very sore until I have been moving a while.
Although I have a new mattress, I have put a topper on it. I sleep with a pillow under my legs and between my knees if I am on my side. I'm wondering if my lower back is too flat but don't know what to do about it.
If anyone has had this and found a solution, I would love to hear from you.
I don’t have spinal fractures but I fractured my sacrum a few years ago. I do the same as you and sleep with a cushion between my knees. If I’m sleeping on my side which I prefer I put a (Tempur) pillow behind my lower back to keep me in that position.
Have you tried a pillow under your knees / thighs when you lie on your back? When I get out of bed I roll over onto my side and lower my legs off that way, in face I always get up off the floor through my side if I’m doing exercises or even just lying on the floor.
Basically I’m like you though and I ache / get nerve pain until I’ve been up for a while - I have osteoarthritis in my hips and bursitis in one hip which doesn’t exactly help. I have worked my way through an embarrassing number of beds / toppers / pillows etc in my quest for comfort - fortunately I think I’ve finally found *the* bed for me , it really can be tough.
I have a pillow under my thighs if I am sleeping on my back and a cushion between my knees if I'm on my side and I get out of bed exactly as you describe. It's hard to fathom why I hurt when I've left my bed.
Do tell me which bed you found. The bed I bought which had loads of brilliant reviews is a Simba hybrid. I also have spent a small fortune on pillows? A quest which I think I'm about to begin again! My husband continues to sleep like a baby.
It’s really strange isn’t it. I think I hurt in the morning because I also have inflammatory arthritis plus osteoarthritis and bursitis in one hip. I’ve got a load of nasties in my spine, herniated discs and other things to do with wear and tear (not fractures though) that I’ve had for a very long time and then the fractured sacrum in 2021 didn’t help. I’m sure it has healed but I don’t think my skeleton is as strong as it used to be.
I bought this one dreams.co.uk/dream-team-swa...
I found Dreams really good, the boy I dealt with asked what type of pillow I liked and found me a pillow, he explained about the beds then left me to it. I wandered from bed to bed trying them all without any interference. It was good. He said he never offers advice or tells anyone what type of bed he has. I got it on one of their offers and got it for a real bargain price. I never believed their offers were for real but less than a week after I got my mattress the price went back to its normal price so I did well.
My turning point came when we were in a holiday cottage and I realised that I could get up in the morning without the pain I felt when I was at home.
The mattress had springs and I think the springs gave me the ‘bounce’ I needed to turn over easily. Before that I was using a really expensive Tempur mattress and that was awful - I sank into it and it was really difficult to turn over which didn’t help things plus I got too hot, even though it was supposed to be a cool mattress.
Before that I had a traditional JL mattress. In the past I’ve also had one that was horsehair or whatever traditional old fashioned mattresses were made of. It was too hard.
I’ve had the JL one, the Tempur one and my present one after the other all since the end of the first lock down. Ridiculous but I just couldn’t keep going in such pain.
Honestly I’m like The Princess and the Pea but I have now realised that I needed a slightly firm mattress with springs. My husband sleeps regardless of what the bed is like which is kind of annoying. I have bought all of my various beds / mattresses myself - you could say it’s like another hobby.
Pillows - well I could open a pillow shop. I’ve tried special neck pillows, Dunlopillow pillows, Tempur pillows, pillows that were advertised all over the papers and TV as being the best ever - they weren’t, cheap pillows, expensive pillows and at the moment I am using JL nomite down and feather pillows. They are quite low and I can pound mine into a shape that I find comfortable to sleep on.
I’ve come to the conclusion that my bones and body must change over time otherwise why would pillows become uncomfortable over time?
I’m really hoping this mattress will last me for a long, long time because I found the mattress problem very stressful. I felt guilty for buying yet another mattress but I just couldn’t go on not sleeping properly then waking up every morning in pain. I can now even have a lie in - something I never used to do.
Good luck with your quest, it really is so difficult.
Simba give you 200 days to trial the mattress and you are supposed to be able to return it. I think I may see if I can find a more suitable one and do that. I think I’ll check out Dreams and spend some time lying on mattresses.
I have a very firm pillow which was quite expensive but it is very thick and I think I should try something thinner. I think it might help my posture as I have kyphosis and my head is a bit forward.
I also had difficulty turning but I thought I would try a satin sheet and now I just slide, no friction, haha.
That would probably work. You would know in a lot less than 300 days whether or not it was right for you. If it’s one of the beds that come in a box and unroll then before you buy ask exactly what happens if you need to return it if it doesn’t suit you - there is no way you will ever be able to get it rolled up the way it was when it was delivered.
The Simba gets good reviews doesn’t it and it has springs so it could have the ‘bounce’ that I find helpful. Dreams do that trial thing but you need to buy a special mattress cover to protect it if you want that to happen. So check the fine print.
I can see that a thick pillow might not work. Those shaped pillows with a gap never worked for my neck.
When I read your comment about a satin sheet so that you can slide I just thought’ Oh yes, I know just how you feel. ‘ good luck with it all.
Hi Lopera. Yes, sleeping after compression fractures of the spine isn’t easy and I really don’t know what the answer is as we are all different. I also have a left total hip replacement after a fall which left me with a broken hip. I tend to sleep on my side and in phases, waking many times during the night to change positions because various bits of me hurt! To get out of bed I roll on my side, swing my legs out of bed first and the prop myself up with one arm before carefully getting out. I have a Hypnos bed with a pillow top. Expensive, but works fairly well for me, taking into account that a “good nights sleep” is in the dim and distant past! I’m only thankful that as I am now retired I don’t have to stand up and teach all day…..just couldn’t do it anymore. Wishing you all the best Lopera. I hope you manage to find some sort of comfort. Only those of us who also struggle appreciate how difficult living with severe osteoporosis is.
If you don’t mind me asking Tofueater are you on osteoporosis medication? Just found I have compression fractures in lumbar spine (have serious scoliosis) & dr offering choice of Prolia or Reclast..
Hello Hampshirite. Yes I have been on osteoporosis medications for quite a while now. I started off on Alendronic Acid for about 2 years, then that was changed to Risendronate…..didn’t like that at all as it gave me more headaches than I usually have. I then took Evenity for 12 months, which are injections once a month for a year. Since then I have had one infusion of Zolendronic Acid, administered at my local hospital. Apparently I will have one a year for the next two years, then another Dexa scan to see how my bones are doing. I’m afraid I don’t know anything at all about the medications that you have been offered but I am aware that different medications are prescribed depending on your general health, plus whether or not you have had fragility fractures in the past. I hope you get the help you need and are able to make some progress. I don’t think any of us like taking the medications, but anything is better than repeated fractures. Good luck.
Thank you. Reclast is same as Zolendronic Acid & prolia is same as Denosumab (every 6 months & known for its rebound effect once you come off it). I'm a Brit but live in US, so hence the different drug names!
I was in pain all the time (especially with spinal fractures) until I transferred to the recliner chair downstairs (not a problem for me as I sleep propped up on my back anyway), I tried going back in the adjustable bed and it just doesnt work the same and you twist getting out. I will stay in a recliner chair permanently now.
So true, last night in fact, I was thinking I used to sleep better when I was in the recliner!
Hi all,
We just wanted to drop in the link to another post where our wonderful members have shared some thoughts and tips about sleep, for anyone coming across this thread who wants to read more: healthunlocked.com/boneheal...
Really hoping you find some relief soon Lopera 
Wishing you all the best,
Lulu
ROS Moderator
SPINAL FRACTURES: PAIN IN THE RIBS.
Fractures 
pain after fractures
Compression fractures 
Vertebral fractures
