A pillow to raise legs can come in different shapes and sizes. How do you know which type you need? Today let’s learn about the two main types of leg raise pillows and which one would work best for you.

Contoured pillow to raise legs

The first option we will discuss is elevating your legs on a contoured leg wedge pillow. A contoured leg pillow is made with specially designed “cutouts” or “contours” that cradle your legs. Because it is designed to support the curves and shape of your legs, there is no pressure build up on the back of your legs while you elevate.

This design is especially important for anyone with any sort of tenderness or pain on the back of their legs. Specific diagnoses that would benefit from this type of leg raising pillow are those with diabetes, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, varicose veins, or DVT.

This type of leg raise support pillow is also ideal for those with any lower body swelling. The pillow holds your feet at the highest point which improves circulation and uses gravity to help eliminate swelling and excess fluid build-up.

An angled leg raising cushion

What if you are looking for a pillow to raise your legs in bed while you are sleeping? If your primary goal is leg support while sleeping, an angled leg raising cushion may just be for you. When you use an angled pillow to raise your legs, it provides a greater knee bend. Sleeping with your knees bent at this angle is the ideal position for your knees to rest and rejuvenate overnight.

It also provides the perfect amount of support for your lower back. As you may well know, sleeping flat on your back is not a good way to sleep. Sleeping flat causes your lower back to arch. Overtime, this can exacerbate or contribute to lower back pain and stiffness. Solve this problem immediately by elevating your legs on an angled leg raising cushion.

What if I am looking for a leg pillow to sleep with, but also think I need a contoured leg pillow for a medical condition?

If you are looking for a pillow to raise your legs at night while you sleep, and you have a medical condition like varicose veins, excessive swelling, etc., choose the contoured leg wedge! You can absolutely sleep comfortably with a contoured leg wedge. The contours just may not be absolutely necessary for someone who does not have any leg tenderness or swelling issues.

Just to summarize: choose a contoured pillow to raise legs that have any sort of tenderness or swelling. Choose an angled leg pillow to raise legs that have no medical complications but need to be supported at night while you sleep. But ultimately, choose whichever wedge you think will be the most comfortable for YOU!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

You can easily learn how to use a wedge pillow for your legs with just a few tips! As a physical therapist, I have extensive practice and knowledge in the use of leg wedges and am going to help you learn how to use one correctly.

Picking out a leg wedge

First, to know how to use a wedge pillow for legs, you must know what type of leg wedge you need. To figure that out, ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you have trouble with your feet or legs swelling?

2. Do you have pressure points, trigger points, or tender points on the backs of your legs?

3. Do you have varicose veins, diabetes, neuropathy, or congestive heart failure?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you would benefit from daily use of a contoured leg wedge pillow. A contoured wedge pillow for legs is angled so that your feet are at the highest point of the wedge. Elevating on this wedge for 20 minutes a day allows for an optimal increase in circulation and is the most effective way to reduce leg swelling.

The contours also provide comfort for even the most tender legs by taking pressure off of any tender spots or pressure points. The contours cradle your legs and calves in a way that supports them without causing any pain. 

If you have none of the medical conditions listed above and are looking for a leg wedge pillow with the primary purpose to help you sleep with your legs elevated, choose a knee wedge pillow. A knee wedge pillow helps with circulation and keeps your knees in a position ideal for them to rejuvenate overnight.

A knee wedge pillow is also ideal if you have any back pain issues. It positions your legs in a way where your back and hip muscles are at an ideal resting position. It also positions your lower back so that it is completely relaxed.

Always remember, above all else, this is YOUR leg wedge. Use these tips as guidelines, but ultimately choose which wedge to get based on your body and what you are going to find comfortable! For example, you may have varicose veins but find a regular knee wedge pillow works better for you. And that is great! Choose what works best for YOU!

How to use a wedge pillow for your legs

When learning how to use a wedge pillow for your legs, be sure to learn how to position it correctly. A correctly positioned leg wedge will look like the following:

1. Your heels should be hanging off the end of the wedge

2. If the wedge is contoured, position the back of your knee on the highest point of the first contour. Your calf should be resting in the dip in between the two “peaks.”

3. If the wedge is a flat leg wedge pillow, position the back of your knee on the bend of the wedge.

Additionally, be sure to use your leg wedge consistently. Whether you are using it to combat swelling or to relieve back pain, consistent use is key to progress. To combat swelling, use your wedge 15-20 minutes each day. To relieve back pain, sleep with it each night.

Learning how to use a wedge pillow for legs is critical for you to have a good experience with your wedge pillow! Take these tips and enjoy your new leg wedge!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

Learning the best sleeping position for a pregnant woman is vital for both mom and baby. Sleep during pregnancy is critical as a mother’s body works to create a new life! Keep reading to learn the best sleep position for pregnancy.

Best sleep position during pregnancy

Generally speaking, the best sleep position for a pregnant woman is lying on the left side. Why is this the case? It’s because there is a large blood vessel that runs up the right side of the spine. This blood vessel is called the inferior vena cava. Its job is to circulate blood to mom’s heart! Sleeping on your left side ensures that this vessel is not compressed by baby and will keep that blood flowing.

Another reason lying on the left side is considered the best sleeping position for a pregnant woman is because it may help decrease swelling. Left side lying can decrease swelling by relieving pressure off of the liver and the kidneys. This is especially the best sleeping position in the third trimester as baby is growing rapidly and due to its growing size, can more easily compress mom’s organs.

Don't forget this crucial component!

There is another important component to sleep positioning while pregnant! Simply lying on your left side is good, but when you add slight elevation, you not only combat acid reflux (which almost all mothers face during pregnancy) but you improve circulation throughout your body!

When a mom uses a memory foam, contoured, incline pillow to sleep, she supports her lower back and hips, positions her stomach and esophagus strategically to avoid reflux, and improves full body circulation. Adding a leg separator pillow is key to support her hips, back, knees, and ankles. It's also an important component to avoid common maternal sleep complications like SI joint pain, hip bursitis or IT Band syndrome.

What if a mom just can’t sleep on her side? Do not worry. There is a safe way to sleep on your back while pregnant. Use a 12” triangle foam wedge pillow to support your upper body in a position safe for baby and comfortable for mom. Then, elevate your legs on a knee wedge pillow to prevent sliding off your foam wedge pillow and to increase circulation throughout your lower body.

As always, check with your OBGYN or midwife if you have any concerns regarding sleeping while pregnant.

The best sleeping position for a pregnant woman is the key to a well-rested mom. Mom’s bodies are working hard to grow healthy babies, and they deserve a comfortable night’s sleep!

Hillary Blare- Doctor of Physical Therapy

Choosing the best position to sleep with a cold can make the difference between waking up feeling better or waking up feeling worse. How many people take a cough suppressant or cold medicine at night to sleep, just to hinder the work of the medicine by sleeping in the wrong sleep position? Don’t let this be you!

Avoid sleeping flat

When you have a cold, do not sleep in a flat sleeping position. Sleeping flat on your back increases sinus pressure. This position inhibits your sinus’s ability to naturally drain, and can lead to a sinus headache, cranial pressure, and breathing difficulties.

Sleeping flat with a cold can also cause drainage to irritate the back of your throat. This not only results in worse sleep but can also create a sore throat to wake up to in the morning. Sleeping on your side is slightly better because it changes the angle of gravity on your mucus. But, because you are still flat, this position can stop your mucus from drainage from draining correctly.

The best position to sleep with a cold

Sleeping with your head elevated 20-30 degrees (or 10-12 inches) on an incline wedge pillow gives you the best shot at waking up and feeling relief from your cold. Sleeping in a slightly inclined sleeping position aligns your sinuses for the most efficient drainage. When your sinuses are draining effectively, your chances of developing a sinus infection decrease.

If you are a side sleeper or are suffering from drainage down the back of your throat, sleep elevated and on your side. This sleeping position minimizes postnasal drip, letting your throat rest and heal overnight. It also keeps your sinuses draining so that mucus doesn’t pool in your sinuses. The goal with sleeping with a cold is to sleep so those sinuses can drain!

The best position to sleep for a cold utilizes an elevated head position to enhance drainage, decrease throat irritation, and decrease sinus pressure. Start sleeping better with a cold today!

-Bryan Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy