Relationship Between Sleep Posture and Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of observational studies
PubMed 40338112 · doi:10.1002/msc.70114
What was done
Authors conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42024628738) searching PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect for observational studies published from 2005 to 2024. The review evaluated the relationship between low back pain (LBP) and sleeping postures (supine, prone, side-lying, and variable). Study quality and risk of bias were evaluated using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool.
What was found
Six observational studies were included. The abstract provides qualitative associations without numerical values or effect sizes: - Supine position supported spinal alignment and was linked to lower LBP prevalence. - Prone sleeping was associated with increased LBP risk. - Side-lying was the most common posture; supportive alignment was linked to reduced pain, whereas poor alignment worsened pain. - Variable sleep positions had minimal association with LBP.
Why it matters
It provides preliminary observational evidence that sleep posture may influence low back pain symptoms, suggesting potential benefit from supine or properly aligned side-sleeping positions over prone sleeping.
Limits
The review included only six observational studies, preventing causal conclusions. The abstract reports no numerical data, effect sizes, confidence intervals, or total participant count. Potential confounding factors such as mattress type, physical activity, baseline spine pathology, and subjective posture assessment methods are not detailed in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Sleeping on the stomach puts extra pressure on the lower back and can cause low back pain over time.