Wedge Pillow Articles

A knee pillow for back sleepers is essential for a good night’s sleep. Keep reading to learn why back sleepers should always use a pillow under their knees while they sleep.

Why you should avoid sleeping flat on your back

Sleeping flat on your back puts strain on your lower back and hips. Most people have tight hip flexors and quadricep muscles. Tight hip flexors/quads pull your pelvis forward into a forward slant. This means, when you lie down flat, your pelvis is slanted forward.

How does this affect your back? It causes your lower back to arch. Sleeping flat all night with an arched lower back causes your back muscles to tighten as well as puts strain on your spinal joints throughout the night. People who sleep flat on their back often wake up in the morning with back and hip pain.

How a knee pillow for back sleepers helps you sleep

A knee pillow for back sleepers re-aligns your lower body and repositions your back in a flat position against the mattress. When you sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees, your hip flexors and quad muscles are no longer pulling your pelvis forward. Those muscles are no longer tight, they are in a resting position.

This means your pelvis is no longer pulled forward. Elevating your legs allows your pelvis and lower back to rest flat on your mattress. When your pelvis and lower back are able to lie flat, your back muscles are able to relax and your spinal joints are able to rest and recover overnight.

The best knee pillow for back sleepers

The best knee pillow for back sleepers is a sloped leg wedge. A sloped leg wedge pillow with a firm foam base will provide your lower body the support needed for your back to relax. A knee pillow topped with memory foam will add additional comfort to the back of your legs as you sleep.

A knee pillow for back sleepers is a must needed positioning tool for anyone who sleeps on their back. Whether your have back pain currently or are looking to prevent back pain in the future, start sleeping with a knee pillow for back sleepers, tonight!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A knee pillow for side sleeping is essential when sleeping on your side. Unfortunately, most people choose the wrong leg pillow for side sleeping and don’t get the support they need. Keep reading to learn from a physical therapist what to look for in a knee pillow for side sleeping so you get proper body alignment and maximize your restorative sleep!

The purpose of a knee pillow for side sleepers

Did you know that when you sleep on your side without a knee pillow for side sleeping, you are putting strain on your hips, knees, and lower back? In fact, if you are a side sleeper and are waking up with hip, low back, or knee pain, it likely has to do with an incorrect sleeping position.

The purpose of a knee pillow for side sleepers is to provide full body alignment so you sleep without strain on your joints and muscles. When you are standing, it’s easy to see the natural contours of your body. For some, the outside of the hip bone sticks out wider than the waist. For others, the waist is wider than the outside of the hip. The difference in prominence between your waist and the outside of your hip creates natural curves or contours.

When you lie down on your side, these contours do not go away. Instead, your spine, joints, and muscles are subject to gravity's pull on your curves. This results in a curved spine, strained joints and taut muscles. Maintaining this unsupported position all night almost guarantees morning hip pain, back pain, knee pain, or a combination of all three.

Which knee pillow for side sleeping to AVOID

To solve this problem, you need a knee pillow for side sleepers that restores the alignment of your joints and muscles. And it’s NOT a small wedge like this one:

A knee pillow like the one above does NOT offer enough support for sleeping on your side. It does NOT restore alignment to your lower body and it does NOT fully reduce the pull of your muscles on your back. When you sleep with this unsupportive knee wedge, there is still a significant downward angle from your hip to your knee, and from your knee to your ankle. This means your muscles will be strained while you sleep so you may still wake up with back or hip pain.

The best knee pillow for side sleepers

The best knee pillow for side sleepers should support the full weight of your top leg so that your muscles and joints don’t have to do any work. Remember: any downward angle from your hip to your ankle means that your muscles are in a strained position. The best knee pillow for side sleepers will align your joints and muscles perfectly so that they are at a resting position while you sleep, with no downward angle.

The best knee pillow for side sleepers is a full leg separator pillow. This leg separator pillow has been tested by physical therapists and is unanimously recommended as the best knee pillow for sleeping on your side. It offers complete back, hip, and leg support.

Pair this leg separator pillow with a side sleeper wedge to give your spine maximum support while you sleep. This side sleeper wedge fits in your waist, just above your hip bone. The combination of a leg separator pillow and side sleeper wedge is a side sleepers body alignment dream.

A knee pillow for side sleeping is an essential component to a side sleeper’s sleep positioning. Make sure your knee pillow is doing its job so you can wake up feeling refreshed and renewed!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

If you are asking yourself “where can I find a wedge pillow?”, then look no further. Wedge Pillow Solutions offers the industry's finest quality and most comfortable wedge pillows on the market. Founded by physical therapists, Wedge Pillow Solutions seeks to help you find a wedge pillow that will work best for your body.

Finding a wedge pillow can be overwhelming, and that is where Wedge Pillow Solutions can help. If you are unsure of which wedge you need, reach out to one of our highly trained physical therapists who are skilled in helping you find the support that is best for you.

Where can you find a leg wedge pillow?

Whether you want to find a wedge pillow for sleeping on your back or your side, Wedge Pillow Solutions has them both. Each sleeping wedge offers the optimal amount of leg support for each sleeping position.

If you are looking for a wedge pillow that can improve your circulation, try a contoured leg wedge. If you are looking for a wedge pillow to support your legs while side sleeping, try the leg separator pillow. And finally, if you are looking for a leg wedge to help you sleep more comfortably on your back, try a knee wedge pillow!

The leg wedge pillows Wedge Pillow Solutions offers are beneficial for conditions like diabetic neuropathy, varicose veins, lymphedema, congestive heart failure, and many more. In addition, after a knee or hip surgery, a leg wedge can be a vital way to support the lower body and enhance the healing process.

Where can you find an upper body wedge?

If you are looking for a wedge pillow to support your upper body, Wedge Pillow Solutions offers several different options. A triangle upper body wedge is ideal for back sleepers who suffer from GERD, acid reflux, sinus problems, sleep apnea, COPD, vertigo, or occipital neuralgia. Pair this wedge with a knee wedge pillow for full body sleep support.

If you are a side sleeper with any of the previously mentioned conditions, try the contoured incline wedge made specifically for side sleepers. The contours support your lower back while you sleep on your side. Don’t forget to pair this wedge with a leg separator pillow to ensure your hips are in alignment while you sleep.

Finding a wedge pillow is easy with Wedge Pillow Solutions, the most comprehensive and expert resource for finding you the wedge pillow you need!

-Bryan Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A long triangle pillow is a great option if you are a side sleeper looking to sleep elevated. There are many benefits to using an extra long wedge pillow, and we will explore some of them today.

Purpose of a long triangle pillow

A long triangle pillow gives your body extra support when you sleep on your side. The contours hug your curves and support your spine correctly while you sleep. A long bed wedge also alleviates hip pain. Because the wedge itself is so long, the outside of your hip will rest on a cushion of memory foam. This extra cushion relieves pressure from the outside of the hip you sleep on.

A long triangle pillow also provides enough torso elevation to relieve acid reflux. Many doctors recommend sleeping elevated and on your left side if you have acid reflux at night, and the best way to do this is to use a long foam wedge.

Additionally, a long bed wedge is ideal for those with who struggle with snoring or sleep apnea. The recommended sleeping position for both conditions is to sleep on your side and elevated. A long triangle pillow will help you sleep in the doctor recommended sleep position for each of these conditions.

Design elements of an extra long wedge pillow

A long triangle pillow should be at least 36 inches long and 8 inches at its highest point. This length ensures the incline of the wedge is gradual enough to be both comfortable and functional. This length also ensures the wedge is long enough to support your head and neck as well as cushion the hip that you sleep on.

A long triangle pillow should also have specially designed contours. These contours match the curvature of the side of your body and function to support your spine correctly while you sleep on your side. This is especially important for anyone with back or hip pain.

Make sure that your extra long wedge is topped with at least one inch of memory foam. The memory foam adds an additional element of comfort by helping the wedge conform to your individual curves. When your body is supported correctly, you have the best chance at getting a good night’s sleep.

An extra long wedge always needs a leg separator pillow to go with it

Don’t sleep with a long triangle pillow without a leg separator pillow! If you do, you will be leaving the lower half of your body unsupported. Anytime you sleep on your side, you should always have a supportive leg separator pillow running from your pubic bone to past your feet. This makes sure that your leg muscles are not pulling on your hips and low back while you sleep.

A long triangle pillow is a must have for side sleepers looking to sleep elevated and on their side. The length, the contours, the elevation, and the memory foam provide the ultimate sleep experience.

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A triangle pillow for back support can make a big difference in your quality of sleep. Today we are going to talk about the type of triangle pillow that might work best for you.

Ideal height of a triangle pillow for back support

Back support triangle wedge pillows come in different heights. The most common heights are 7-inches, 10-inches, and 12-inches. Here is a list of reasons why you may choose one particular height over another.

7-inch wedge pillow: acid reflux, GERD, mild sleep apnea, mild difficulty breathing at night.

10-inch wedge pillow: moderate difficulty breathing, wanting to read in bed, significant snoring, heavier torso weight, sleep apnea, moderate sinus drainage, help getting into and out of bed.

12-inch wedge pillow: vertigo, post shoulder surgery, pregnant, heavier torso weight, severe difficulty breathing at night, significant sinus drainage, severe nighttime asthma, help getting into and out of bed.

For full back support, add a knee wedge pillow

After you choose the best height for your triangle pillow for back support, be sure to use it along with a knee wedge pillow. Sleeping on a triangle wedge pillow alone, without also sleeping with a knee wedge pillow, can cause back discomfort.

Sleeping with a knee wedge pillow takes pressure off your lower back by supporting the weight of your hips and legs. With the weight of your hips and legs supported, your lower back can rest! A knee wedge pillow also puts your spine in the most relaxed position.

For side sleepers, choose a triangle back support pillow designed for side sleepers

If you are a side sleeper, don’t use a triangle wedge pillow designed for back sleepers. Choose a contoured incline pillow instead. A contoured pillow will fully support your back and spine while you lie on your side and still provide the torso elevation that you need.

To maximize back support while you are sleeping on your side, combine the contoured incline pillow with a leg separator pillow. The leg separator pillow supports your hips and legs so that the muscles in your lower back and hips are not pulling on your spine while you sleep.

A triangle pillow for back support is a great tool to support your back while you sleep. By choosing the correct pillow, you are setting yourself up for a night of successful sleep!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

Side sleeper shoulder pain is a common complaint of side sleepers. When you don't sleep in the correct position, the shoulder on the side you sleep on gets compressed all night. This nightly compression is what leads to shoulder pain! Keep reading to learn the best position to sleep in to avoid side sleeper shoulder pain.

Why is body positioning important?

Think about the different structures that contact the bed when you lie on your side: your ear/head, the outside of your shoulder, your lateral rib cage, your hip bone, and the outside of your leg. If you drew a line following along the outside of these body parts, would the line be straight? Of course not! It would be very curved!

When you lie on your side without proper pillow support, your muscles and joints end up compensating for your curves. These compensations lead to joint pain and stiffness. The goal when you sleep is to support your body’s natural curves to align your muscles and joints all night.

Why do I get shoulder pain at night?

The shoulder and hip that you sleep on are under the most pressure when you side sleep. This is because these bones protrude the farthest from your body, so when you lie down, they become the structures that give you the most support when you side sleep.

Because the amount of protrusion is different between the hips and the shoulders (one is usually more than the other), when you lie down, gravity forces your spine into a side-bent angle. This not only puts strain on your spine, but also causes the shoulder you are lying on to absorb a high amount of force.

If the pressure on your shoulder and arm compresses your blood vessels and nerves, it can lead to numbness or tingling in your arm or hand. Side sleeping unsupported also puts unnecessary stress on your shoulder joint. This joint stress can lead to shoulder and/or neck pain.

The solution to side sleeper shoulder pain

To fix side sleeper shoulder pain, you’ve got to use pillows to support the natural curvatures of your body. When you use pillows to support your curves, your bones, muscles, and joints don’t have to do any unnecessary supporting. Your shoulder was designed to move your arm, not to support the weight of your body all night.

When you sleep, you should use a small lumbar wedge to fill in the contour of your waist. Supporting your lower spine with a lumbar wedge offloads your shoulder by supporting the weight of your torso, rather than leaving that job to the shoulder.

The lumbar wedge creates a “slot” where the shoulder can relax on the mattress without becoming compressed from the weight of your torso. This is a must for side sleepers with broad shoulders. This little wedge will reduce strain on the shoulder joint, improve blood flow to the arm/hand, and reduce morning shoulder discomfort.

Additionally, supporting your neck properly is essential to avoiding side sleeper shoulder pain. Failing to support your neck properly while you sleep leads to negative consequences for your shoulder. Because your shoulders are wider than your neck, when you lie down with a neck pillow that’s not giving you the right amount of support, the shoulder you are lying on takes the punishment.

The best way to support your neck while you sleep is to use a contoured neck wedge pillow. A contoured neck wedge pillow should completely fill in the curve of your neck (from the base of your jaw to the top of your shoulder). This support ensures that your neck joints and muscles are relaxed while you sleep.

At minimal, to get rid of side sleeper shoulder pain, consider adding a side sleeper wedge and contoured neck wedge pillow to your nightly routine. To get the best side sleeping position, consider a Side Sleeper System. This system includes a contoured neck wedge pillow, side sleeper wedge, AND a leg separator pillow. The leg separator pillow is long enough to rest the weight of your arm on while supporting the weight of your entire leg.

Side sleeper shoulder pain doesn’t have to be something that plagues you! Start sleeping correctly today and wake up in the morning without shoulder soreness!

-Bryan Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy