A mattress described as orthopaedic just means that the spring gauge used is 12.5g. This is the thickest and strongest spring used in a bonnell (cage) sprung mattress.
In essence, orthopaedic just means firm. There should never be any health claims offered or any possible implication that an orthopaedic mattress can cure or help relieve any back problems.
When choosing your mattress, you should be looking at making it last you for the longest possible time coupled with lasting comfort. Getting an orthopaedic mattress means that the springs, being a 12.5gauge is as strong as you can get, therefore more durable to your weight being on it night after night.
Remember though, there is nothing special about an orthopaedic mattress. Even a 12.5g spring falls into the budget ranges of nearly all manufacturers.
Soft – Medium – Firm?
This can be quite a nonsense and used by salespeople to make you think that the mattress can be tailored to your exact requirements. It isn’t – Comfort levels really depend on price paid. A firm cage sprung mattress will have a 12.5 gauge spring – this is the thickest and strongest you can get. 13.5 gauge is thinner and therefore more ‘springy’ or soft! – it is also a cheaper component to produce.
For all cage sprung mattresses It is usually best practice to choose the strongest spring you can get as this is the most important part of the mattress. Most mattresses that are described as orthopaedic means that the mattress will be on the firmer side of the scale. However, there are some that have been manufactured to provide a softer sleep surface by use of softer waddings, foams and felts for the comfort layers.
If your budget cannot stretch to a pocket sprung mattress then carefully consider what type of comfort layer you choose on your orthopaedic mattress. Remember, the springs are just the support. A lower gauge spring such as 13g or 13.5g will not offer the longevity of a 12.5g spring.
As the springs are only the support part of the mattress they will only be supporting your bodyweight, what provides the comfort is your choice of comfort layer. It may be a viable option to add a decent topper to your mattress rather than spending over the odds on a mattress that has the equivalent of a topper already built in at a much higher price
A comfort layer is the final layer of padding just underneath the fabric. This will play a major part of how comfortable and how long lasting the mattress will be.
Comfort layers can be memory foam, lambswool, cashmere, polyester wadding, High Density foam, latex etc, or indeed a combination of these.
What comfort layer/s you choose will have an impact on the price of the mattress. The better the comfort layer, such as latex, the more expensive the mattress will be.
Summary
An orthopaedic mattress is usually the best from all the bonnell spring mattresses. The few extra pounds you pay between a mattress with a 12.5g spring or a 13.5g orthopaedic spring is relatively little compared to the extra lifespan your mattress will get. Although, the spring gauge should not be taken in isolation. When doing your price comparisons, take into account the quality and quantity of the waddings used in each. If the asking price is similar, then it is better to have a well padded 13.5g then a lightly filled 12.5g.
Hi after purchasing the wrong mattress last year yet again I decided to ask he experts can you recommend one for me I am on a very tight budget. I have seen becket miracoil orthopaedic double mattress on sale for £300. It comes with 5 year warranty firm head to toe and edge to edge springs to provide good support is dust mite resistant and hypoallergenic with breathable cover no turn just rotate. Seems to be a good buy but at a pinch I could stretch to £500 if there is a better model out there with similar spec. please advise I am 10st suffer from aches and pains from my current mattress and my partner is 12 st. ny advice you can offer would be greatly received
Hi there, I just brought a base and mattress I didn’t really think of- if it would be ok for my back and joints. I have ankylosing spondylitis. The bed base has a Sprung slatted base and the mattress is 13.5 Gauge Bonnell spring mattress with memory foam.
I have a really good mattress right now which is a pocket sprung memory foam, but 1 our new base is kingsize and my old mattress is double. 2 my partner has really ruined his side of the bed by launching himself whilst turning.
I’m really worried that I have spent money on something that will cause me a lot of pain. Is this new mattress going to fine or should I think of buying a topper? If so what would you recommend.
Many thanks Jb
Hi JB. Sorry, but can’t say whether it is suitable or not. I don’t know your bodyweights, don’t know the mattress, don’t know how much memory foam is included .. and so on.
At the end of the day, knowing that it is a 13.5 Bonnell spring unit indicates that this is a cheap mattress and guessing that you did not pay much for it indicates also that a topper will be required to ensure you get the most out of it.
For other readers, Memory Foam on a open coil unit is the cheapest and lowest grade Memory Foam mattress you can get. The combination of Reflex (PU) Foam with memory Foam is a far better buy and they can usually be found at a similar price. Memory Foam on a pocket Spring unit gives a more forgiving support but bear in mind that this will have to be supplemented with a decent layer of memory Foam for the comfort. We advise that all Memory Foam mattresses be supplemented with a topper of sorts. This does not have to be Memory Foam, particularly if heat is an issue, so consider something along the lines of Ultimate Wool Fleece from D&PW. John and Ryan.
Hi there ,I am looking for a very firm mattress for my mother who is 67 she has a back problem and has orthoritous and she is heavy weight also. People r suggesting imperial ortho posturestic.kindly suggest is it right for her
Hi Raabz. Sorry but can’t find any details on the model you refer to. Please expand a bit more. John and Ryan.
Hey,
I am suffering from back problems due to rubbish orthopedic mattresses. I bought a firm one 2 months ago and that started to sink in the middle, with regular turning of the mattress (lasted a week at best).
I have now bought another orthopedic mattress (less firm than previous) and a new divan base (old slats were broken) which allowed me one excellent night of sleep but now it has sunk in the middle and when I turn it to the other side has already started to sink.
I am 20 years old, 5′ 9” and weigh 75kg and sleep in the middle of a 6x4ft mattress.
Since the sinking is in the middle I cannot sleep at the edges because I just roll into the middle causing more back pain.
What would be a good mattress for me? As I find a too firm a mattress uncomfortable but with a less firm mattress it cannot last. (It has been more than 2 months since I have had a week straight of good sleep)
CJ.
Hi CJ. How much are you spending on these mattresses? They obviously sound like complete tat. Your weight is not an issue and as you have just purchased a new divan base it can’t be that. Let me know a model name at least, and then I wil be able to make a more informed guess as to what has happened. John and Ryan.
Hello John and Ryan
How do you know so much about mattresses and beds? I think you’d be brilliant on Mastermind!
I am wanting a new mattress. I have a lower back issue. I have read your advice on orthopaedic matressess as well as what to expect within certain price brackets [of any mattress]. I thought I’d researched really thoroughly and found a good deal in the Rest Assured Silhouette Venice Ortho 1400 Double…bargain at under £300. However, after reading your comments re manufacturers being one and the same and the ranges being not really that much different, I’m not so sure that’s a good deal or a particularly decent mattress [although I do think it has latex].
I’m looking for something that is going to support my back and give me a good night’s sleep. That’s it really but I would rather invest in a mattress that will do this. I understand I should go for pocket sprung and preferably 12.5 gauge, I like a firm bed anyway.
What would you recommend? I don’t have any issues with anyone else rolling into me and I am around 11st.
By the way, I have a metal bed with metal poles, not slats, not solid. There are fairly large spaces between each [10cm], would that make a difference to what mattress I buy?
Thanks Yvette.
Hi Yvette. I am going to assume that the reason you are looking at this particular mattress is because this is the extent of your budget. This is no bad thing but be completely aware that the mattress alone will not be enough to give you the good nights sleep you are after.
i have found the Rest Assured Silhouette Venice Ortho 1400 Double for £237 on Amazon and really you can’t find a 1400 pocket unit for much less than that. What will be missing are adequate layers of upholstery. This will no doubt contain a nominal layer of polyester but by adding a substantial topper (say a 5cm memory foam) will give you a comfortable sleeping surface with more than adequate support.
Unfortunately, the ‘poles’ you have on your frame are the worst possible means of slats (sorry). It is an indication of what you paid for the base and they do have a tendency to dig into the underside of your mattress. We are not keen on any kind of metal frame beds. They squeak, shake and rattle and constantly require tightening up.
Have a look at this comment here from a reader with a limited budget. The response is detailed and may help you further. Please let me know how you get on. John and Ryan.
2013/04/18 at 22:11
Hello again, John and Ryan
Thanks for your reply to my question regarding the Rest Assured Silhouette Venice Ortho 1400 Double mattress. The reason I gravitated to that one was more to do with the amount of pocket springs and firmness. Not having much of a clue about mattresses, my research concluded that this would be firm and assist with my back issue. However, having read more on your site [which is so brilliant] I am not so sure this would be the right choice. I do have a limited budget but it can extend to £800 at a push.
I would rather invest what I can in a good mattress than not. Today I checked out a Sealy Grosvenor which the man in the bed shop said was a 3/4 firmness. Just as you have said somewhere amidst your advice, he suggested that uber firm is not necessarily the best thing for a bad lower back. The sealy was comfortable. It is £700. However, as I have read in your ‘brand’ section, there are a number of companies that dominate the market and the pricing of mattresses is arbitrary.
I saw the same item, including the divan base for £899 online!!! How does that work? ~By the way would my metal poled bed have any bearing on the efficacy of a decent mattress? As mentioned, the poles are about 10cm apart and I am wondering if it might be better to get a slatted bed [I like cottage type beds and victorian looking ones...not keen on divans]. Or even just put the new mattress, when I get it, on top of the current one. What are you thoughts?
Many thanks
Yvette
Hi, Can you please advise on the best mattress for the spinal condition ‘scoliosis’. I’m 42 and have just recently been diagnosed with this condition. Kind regards, Maria.
Hi Maria. From what I can gather this can be a very painful condition and as chest or lower back can be affected (or both) it is up to you to let us know what you require for optimum comfort and we can make the necessary recommendations.
It may also be beneficial to you to join appropriate forums and bulletin boards such as this and glean what has helped fellow sufferers. John and Ryan.
I bought a very expensive mattress from a so called reputable store a few months back… We worked with the sales person explaining to him our requirements… I have two ruptured discs in my back and endure so much pressure and pain throughout the night when sleeping, i was constantly waking up in pain and in the morning on waking cld barely get up and about due to pain, So we decided to change our mattress…
Like I said we explained all this to the sales person explaining I had no idea what sort of mattress. Required and relying on their expertise to decide on the type of mattress that would best benefit my situation…. We purchased the mattress on his recommendation, it’s highly pocket sprung with memory foam and I’ve never had a decent night sleep in it ! Gutted as it was very expensive…
We haven’t got a lot of money and invested so much into it as my back was soooo bad…. I went on holiday recently and the bed I slept in was extremely firm… I found that by the end of my holz my back pain throughout the night disappeared I was much more mobile and pain free on awakening, it was heaven!!!!!
Within two days of returning home and sleeping on my mattress I was back to square one in pain and not sleeping properly due to pain… Very frustrating !!!!
I’m so desperate now I’ve yet again been to try purchase another mattress but my experience on any sort of recommendation from the sales people unnerve me, I have very little money to pay out on expensive mattresses and wondered if you could possibly recommend a matress for me that’s inexpensive…. Please please save the day for me!!!!! Wendy x
Hi Wendy. The most illuminating part of your comment was the fact that your back troubles disappeared on your holz. This does give rise to the unfortunate conclusion that your current mattress was indeed the wrong choice but happily, there is a prospect that the right choice now could give you a good nights sleep.
However, to go further we really do need to know your bodyweights and your budget. Give Marie a call and we’ll take it from there. John and Ryan.
Hi
I am looking for a double bed. Currently i sleep on a Seally king size orthopaedic mattress which is about 15 years old and it has been great for me. I am now moving into a flat and need the same support and comfort but I am baffled by all these new styles. I am female around 10st.
Hi Rani. Obviously, you can only get what your budget allows. Personally, I would say consider The Artisan Luxury as one of the best mattresses you are able to get and if this falls out of line with your budget, then work downwards to see what compromises had to be made to give you a mattress that fits. Without setting yourself a budget to work towards you will be making your purchase a bit harder than it need be.
Personally, if you are currently happy with a Sealy Posturepaedic it may be wise to reconsider the purchase of a similar model. I’m actually amazed you managed to get 15 years out of this unless they were better built in those days! Hope this helps. John and Ryan.
Thank you for your reply.
No, it is a 1000 pocket sprung mattress.
I meant i’d rather lie on the floor than lie on some sagging jelly of a bed that only strains my neck and back.
I was told today by inspector that the box springs’s gone.
I like memory foam but coupled with weak springs is too soft. Memory foam with stronger springs would have been ok.
I have come to the conclusion that most mattresses are a lot of rubbish nowadays as manufacturers are maybe cutting corners making it very difficult for people to purchase a decent and affordable mattress.
I have come across a few people who all have been disappointed by their purchases.
I think these products should not even be manufactured in the first place as they are a waste of money and only distress people.
Veronique
Hi Veronique. It would be helpful if you gave a bit more detail on the mattress model you are obviously not happy with.
You are absolutely right when you say manufacturers may be cutting corners! And the reason they are able to do so is the fact that the majority of consumers through no fault of their own – but the fault of misleading and at times utterly deceptive advertising – have no idea on what constitutes a mattress that is suitable for your own individual needs. John and Ryan.
Thank you for your reply.
I have come to the conclusion that I would need a firm mattress to support my hip and spine (as I also have a couple of disc problems) + a good comfort layer such as memory foam (about 5cm thick).
I purchased a 1000 pocket sprung mattress (13.5 gauge) about a month ago; it felt fine for the first two weeks but then it started sagging, causing pain in my neck, discs and hip.
I definitely need a mattress that keeps my body in a level / straight position. By the way, yes, lying on the floor provides relief!
What I find annoying is the fact that a mattress can feel fine whilst lying on it in the store but it’s after sleeping on i realize it’s unreliable after all (sagging)!! I would say that the gauge of the springs is a better indication to assess how suitable and reliable a mattress is going to be.
I think i should go for a 12.5 gauge in the future regardless of the brand etc…
I am however still confused regarding pocket spring mattresses; what determines the firmness of a pocket spring mattress?? is it the spring count or the gauge of the springs or both?? i have read that the higher the spring count, the softer the mattress but also the higher the count the firmer!! i saw an orthopaedic pocket mattress with only 800 springs. how would it compare with a 1400 spring mattress?
Regards,
Veronique
Hi again Veronique. A bit confusing this: Are you sure it was a pocket sprung mattress you purchased? 13.5g refers to the softest of the cage sprung units. 12.5g refers to the firmest of cage sprung units. I have a gut feeling the mattress you purchased was a cage sprung unit rather than a pocket sprung unit.
You do make a very valid point about ‘trying a mattress first’, Nine times out of ten, and for the vast number of people there really is no need to do so – providing that the advice you receive about your purchase is absolutely in your interest.
As for your confusion over pocket springs, it’s understandable: The tensions of pocket springs are gauged by the thickness of wire used. As a ball park figure 1.28mm would be considered a soft spring and 1.50mm would be considered a firm spring. However, the number of pocket springs used will have an effect of the overall support level. On a 1500 count for example, the diameter of the spring will be in the region of 2″ (50mm) The more springs contained mean the diameter will be smaller and thus the tension will be affected.
As a point of note, this is way too big an area to explain in a few paragraphs. Our revised site [new year] will have an extensive overview on pocket springs . The thing to remember is that the bulk of pocket springs are mass produced, usually of a medium tension and form the basis of many mid priced mattresses. No matter what – any pocket sprung unit is infinitely better than any cage sprung unit.
800 pocket springs is deemed a low count, to refer to it as Orthopaedic means that the spring gauge itself is high AND / OR the manufacturer is using additional or extra supportive insulator directly over the spring unit – Obviously this is only speculation as you do not provide any model / manufacturer names for me to overview.
Finally Veronique, I really would advise you to give us a call. On one hand you say that lying on the floor gives relief and yet you say that you are looking at memory foam. .. confused!! John and Ryan.
.
I am about to purchase a mattress for my 3 year old son going into his first single bed. The two I have looked at are a Sterling 13.5 gauge, hypoallergenic, which is 11 to 11.5 inches thick, priced at £110 and a Kozee sleep 12.5 gauge bamboo 10 to 10.5 inches thick priced at £154. The bamboo seems a bit softer than the sterling though I liked the qualities of the bamboo.
I am very worried about sleeping and mattresses as I lost my eldest son. Can you give me some advice, please.
Hi Mary. For that budget you really do not have much choice. 13.5g will be more forgiving and I think the 12.5 may be on the firm side for him. What I would do [and taking well into account your son's age] is to spend around £100 for the mattress and spend the additional £50 on a topper / comforter. There will be no doubt that there will be minimal fillings in the mattress but more than enough support for your son’s weight. The topper / comforter will provide the comfort he will need. Combine the two together with a waterproof protecter if bedwetting is / may be an issue.
If budget is an issue the use of a basic Tesco duvet laid on top of the mattress and again held together with a protector will provide adequate comfort for him and can easily be economically replaced whilst keeping the mattress in good condition.
Hope this helps Mary and so sorry to hear of your loss. John and Ryan.
I have a hip problem; would an orthopaedic mattress be too fim??
Veronique.
Hi Veronique. Please remember that the phrase ‘Orthopaedic’ just means FIRM. It is a pretty worthless phrase when applied to a mattress and should not be a method of selection for any kind of back or hip ailment. It is also associated with Bonnell or cage sprung units – the cheapest of all supports. If you are in discomfort with your hip then you really should be looking at pocket springs as the support which offers something that moves with you and not a blanket firm unit.
You would know yourself whether this level of firmness would be suitable for you – if you get pain relief by lying directly on the floor for example. Understand also that no mattress will cure any back / hip pain. What it can do / should do .. is not make it any worse. Therefore undue pressure on the affected part should be minimised as best as posible by utilising a softer primary layer but the support from the spring unit should also be adequate for your weight, sleeping position etc.
Your question is far too vague to give you a definitive answer as to what is suitable for you, give Ryan a call and he will go through all the available options for you. John
I have an orthopedic pocket sprung mattress, what bed frame should I use?
Hi Rita, There should be no reason to be concerned about your bed frame at all. Bedframes will either be sprung slats or firm solid slats. If you are looking for a firmer support then go for solid slats if you want a softer support then go for a frame with sprung slats. Have a look at the page about mattresses for slats. Hope this helps. John.