Best Knee and Under Knee Pillows for Proper Sleeping Posture

[Updated on 1 January 2023] If you have been out shopping, then you have probably noticed there is a pillow for just about anything- traveling, neck pain, driving, and even pregnancy. And if you are wondering, yes! There’s also a pillow for the knees. Many Americans today sleep with a pillow between their knees for added support and comfort. The knee pillows are beneficial for side sleepers, which will require some cushioning for spinal alignment.

The knee pillow is also beneficial for individuals with back pain and pregnant women as well. It’s important to note that pillows offer much more than support; they also provide a cushioning buffer that works to prevent your knee joints from rubbing off together, causing aches and pains for some individuals.

Can’t a regular pillow offer the same kind of support? Well, yes, you can use a support pillow like a knee pillow. Still, the difference a knee pillow offers is additional contouring and support beyond what a standard pillow is capable of providing. Knee pillows are available in variable sizes, shapes, and can help solve several sleep issues such as Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), sciatica, back pain, and many more.

What is a Knee Pillow?

Knee pillows are quite easy to identify; for starters, they are some and come with an indent on both sides, forming an hourglass shape. The indents are designed from where an individual can rest their legs. The Knee pillow not only prevents the user’s knees from touching (causes pains and aches) but also functions to align the hips and spine for a pleasant sleeping experience.

Most knee pillows in the market are made from memory foam since its construct material conforms well with the shape of the body. It’s also reasonable to get knee pillows with poly foam or latex foam. Knee pillows work to ease up pent up pressure in the legs while sleeping. They also help maintain a healthy, neutral posture while you sleep. The pillows are especially useful for pregnant women, individuals with sciatica, Restless Leg Syndrome, bursitis, or back pain.

Who should get a Knee Pillow, and Why?

The Knee Pillow has a unique design that offers health benefits and comfort to its users. The following are individuals who need to get one and why.

If you have Back Pain issues

Back Pain could significantly affect the quality of your sleep as well as your daily routines. Aligning the knee pillow together with your leg helps in reducing inflammation of your sciatic nerve. Sleeping on the side forces more pressure on the sciatica nerve route. When your upper leg is elevated, the pain and inflammation caused by the sciatica nerve are reduced.

If you are suffering from knee pain

Knee pain can occur due to several reasons, from your daily activities to heavy exercising. What you might know is that your sleeping habits can significantly influence the pressure that is applied to the knees. To help alleviate the pain, you need to sleep on the side. Having your legs aligned enables you to avoid placing extra stress on your knees. Your knees will require a pillow to help support and absorb the stress. This will also go a long way in easing discomfort.

If you have Hip Pain issues

The knee pillow is beneficial for individuals with hip pain issues since it prevents an individual’s hips from rotating when they move during sleep. This, in turn, also prevents the body from angling over, which worsens the pain and discomfort.

Pregnant Women

There is a lot of restriction on sleeping for expectant women. They should sleep on their side during the months of pregnancy. This eases the discomfort caused by the condition and also prevents the infant in the womb from kicking often. Furthermore, having a knee pillow offers healthy relaxation and circulation.

If you have poor circulation

This is a significant concern with a lot of people today, often leading to muscle stretching, varicose veins, and a host of other conditions. Depending on your sleeping position, the circulation in your legs may be affected. By elevating your legs, tingling and spasms in the leg that is commonly associated with reduced circulation drop to a minimum, facilitating the healthy flow of blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

If you are recovering from a Surgery

If you’ve recently had surgery, chances are you experience a lot of discomfort during your sleep, and you might need to readjust your spine, knees, and hips. Getting a knee pillow helps align the bone structure for pain relief and comfort during sleep.

Considerations Before Buying a Knee Pillow

There are a wide variety of knee pillows in the market to choose from when shopping and comparing models, consider the following:

What do you weigh?

It’s essential to pick the thickness of the knee pillow based on your weight. More burdensome individuals are better off with thicker pillows, while lighter people are better with thinner pillows.

Are you expecting it?

Straight hourglass-shaped knee pillows are the perfect choice for side sleepers. Most expectant women sleep on their side to ease the strain of excess weight on their midsection. Placing a second wedge pillow behind their needs offers the much-needed support as well.

Do you sleep hot?

Knee pillows on the market today have a foam construct that works to absorb body heat as well as other material. This can be problematic for individuals who naturally sleep hot, even though excessive heat is usually isolated to the legs and knees, which may not affect some. Check on the pillow cover to figure out how hot the knee pillow sleeps before making a purchase.

Do your limbs move around during sleep?

The hourglass type of knee pillows is specially designed to prevent your knees from moving around. But if you shift or kick around during sleep, you might be better off with a knee pillow with a removable strap.

Does the Knee Pillow have a return policy?

Depending on the manufacturer, the knee pillow may have a satisfaction guarantee that allows for the return of funds at any point of use. In case there is a satisfaction guarantee, the knee pillow in question won’t have a warranty.

Types of Knee Pillows

Knee pillows are available in variable shapes of sizes. The most popular kind of knee pillows are about 10-inches wide with a thickness of between 4 to 6-inches. A typical knee pillow you would find in the market weighs approximately 1lb. However, if you are in the market for a product that is more considerable for discomfort or pain, you can also shop around for a body pillow, wedge pillow or a cervical pillow.

Hourglass Knee Pillow

The most common type of knee pillow you will see in the market is the hourglass knee pillow, and it’s an ideal knee pillow for side sleepers. Due to its popularity, it also comes at the cheapest rates. Thanks to its curvature design, it helps hold the knees and legs for a pleasant night’s sleep.

Wedge Knee Pillow

This is different from the wedge pillows for the head that are ideal for acid reflux relief. These pillows are suitable for individuals who love to sleep on their backs. The Wedge pillow, unlike the hourglass knee pillow, is designed to fit directly under both legs, and not in between. It also offers increased circulation and elevation. The wedge knee pillow has a half-moon or triangular shape.

Long Knee Pillow

As the name suggests, this type of pillow is significantly longer than your conventional knee pillow. Instead of fitting under the user’s knees, it goes all the way down to the feet. This is especially beneficial for individuals with bunions, knee injuries, as well as other foot injuries.

Strap-on Knee Pillow

These types of nifty knee pillows feature a strap to secure it into place while you sleep at night. In case you are the type who sits around a bit while they sleep, this is an ideal knee pillow for you.

Best Knee Pillows

ABCO Memory Foam Knee Pillow

This Memory Foam Knee Pillow is an hourglass type of Knee pillow best for the ideal spine alignment. It’s an ideal knee pillow for pregnant women, side sleepers, those with back, knee, and leg pain. The ABCO Memory Foam Knee Pillow has a 100% hypoallergenic construct. It also comes with a storage bag and a zipper cover for easy and safe travel. The manufacturer offers free shipping as well as a money-back guarantee.

The support core of this Knee pillow has a visco-elastic memory foam material, which is beneficial for those recovering from knee surgery or hip replacement due to its soft and supportive nature. According to the manufacturer, the ABCO Knee Pillow works to reduce sciatica, muscle cramps, and varicose veins. This knee pillow is available both on Amazon and the manufacturer’s website.

ComfiLite Orthopedic Knee Pillow

The ComfiLite Orthopedic Knee Pillow is an hourglass type of knee pillow made from memory foam well known for retaining heat, giving warmth and comfort at the same time. Please note that it is not the ideal knee pillow to get if you live in hot areas such as Florida.

You also need to be careful using it considering its 60 DBS density- it doesn’t matter how hard you squeeze it between your knees; it will not go flat. Its sturdiness design will make you refrain from buying pillows more often, making it a significant investment. Like many good knee pillows, it comes with a removable cover that you can machine wash when it gets dirty. This knee pillow is best for individuals with pinched nerve or sciatica. Due to its shape and ability to keep the spine aligned, it’s ideal for people who sleep on their side. Since it has a memory foam construct, it doesn’t allow microbes to seep through it, making it the perfect choice for individuals allergic to dust mites.

Cushy Form Half-Moon Knee Pillow

Most knee pillows you will get in the market are hourglass-shaped knee pillows ideal for side-sleepers. This makes it extremely difficult for back sleepers to find a suitable model for their sleeping position. Here is where the Cushy Form Half-Moon Bolster comes in. This particular knee pillow is made of high-density memory foam that is heat resistant and durable. Its high-quality construct also makes it hard to sink excessively.

Unlike most wedge pillows that have a characteristic of overheating, this one comes with a cotton cover that offers a cooling effect. It is ideal for individuals recuperating after surgery or medical procedures. Its thickness profile means the user’s legs are well elevated for better circulation. It’s also suitable for individuals with varicose veins. This wedge knee pillow comes with a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.

Everlasting Comfort Knee Pillow

This Pillow features an hourglass shape style of pillow and has a strap to ensure the pillow doesn’t come off during sleep. Its ergonomic design shape helps to keep the user’s knees separated, aligning the legs, hips, and spine.

If you don’t shift or kick during sleep, you can remove the removable strap. A bonus with this knee pillow is that it comes with earbuds in case you have a partner who snores. This knee pillow is protected under the manufacturer’s lifetime replacement guarantee. It is also available on Amazon.

Hermell Elevated Leg Rest Pillow

In case you are out in the market for something that will offer pain relief, then the Hermell Elevated leg pillow is your ideal choice. Its zero-gravity alignment construct helps in releasing the user’s tension from the tailbone and coccyx, giving relief from the leg and back pain as well.

It’s important to note that this pillow is much larger in volume than the average knee pillow, meaning it offers much more elevation than you might be used to. It’s, however, designed to provide comfort for anyone who requires its benefits.  This particular knee pillow comes with a cotton cover that is unzippable and washable. Also, no set up is required for this knee pillow.

Aeris Knee Pillow

The Aeris Knee Pillow is a high-quality memory foam pillow that comes with quite the thoughtful size and design. This rectangular-shaped pillow comes with a dip in the middle that cradles the user’s knees, promoting proper alignment of the legs, hips, and spine. Its small size makes it ideal for repositioning during sleep at night. A bonus with this knee pillow is that it is made with a unique manufacturing process that gets rid of the off-gassing odors common with the conventional memory foam, and instead offers a pleasant citrus scent. This knee pillow is ideal for individuals with hip pain and sciatica joint, side sleepers, pregnant women, and sleepers who are sensitive to memory foam smell.

How to Use a Knee Pillow

A knee pillow is designed to be placed between the knees when sleeping on your side. The pillow’s purpose is to keep the hips and spine in proper alignment, which can help alleviate back and hip pain. Here are the steps to use a knee pillow:

1. Place the pillow between your knees while you are lying on your side in bed.
2. Adjust the pillow until you feel comfortable and your hips and spine are in proper alignment.
3. Try to keep your knees together throughout the night to keep the pillow in place.
4. Use the knee pillow in conjunction with a supportive mattress and pillow to help maintain proper spinal alignment.
5. Consult with your doctor or physical therapist if you are experiencing chronic pain to ensure that using a knee pillow is the appropriate treatment for your condition.

Things to Take Care of While Using Knee Pillow

While using a knee pillow, it is important to consider the following:

1. Positioning: Make sure the pillow is placed properly between your knees to provide the necessary support and alignment for your hips and spine.
2. Comfort: Choose a pillow that is comfortable for you to sleep on, as you will be using it for extended periods of time. Some knee pillows are made with memory foam which adapts to your body shape and can be more comfortable.
3. Size: Some knee pillows are one size fits all, while others come in different sizes. Choose the size that best fits your body type.
4. Cleaning: Make sure to clean your pillow regularly, especially if you are using it on a nightly basis. Most knee pillows are machine-washable.
5. Quality: Look for a pillow that is made with high-quality materials and has a good warranty, so you can trust it will last for a long time.
6. Consult with a Doctor: If you have any medical condition, it is better to consult with your doctor first to see if a knee pillow is suitable for you.

Pricing Warranty and Return Policy

If you are out in the market looking for the best knee pillows, apart from the quality, purpose extras, you will want to consider the pricing warranty and return policy.

• Pricing: A good quality knee pillow will go for between $25 and $30. The most common factor that influences the price on the knee pillows is the material used for construction, followed closely by the size, its durability, and finally, the manufacturer brand.
• Return Policy and Warranty: depending on the manufacturer, you will get knee pillows with sleep trials, that will allow a shopper to test out their product for a certain period and if unsatisfied-return the defective product before the trial expiry date. A sleep trial is a guaranteed method of testing products without fully committing to the purchase.

It’s important to note that, while some manufacturers will offer return policy with their products, others will not work due to hygiene issues. However, when looking to get a quality knee pillow make sure it comes with a return policy or a warranty against manufacturer defects lasting between a year and a lifetime.

Bottom Line

In summary, Knee pillows offer much more than pain relief. They also work to relax the user’s connecting muscles and ligaments such as the neck, lower back, joints, sciatica, and so on. You can enjoy these benefits by purchasing one of the products on this guide.

Knee pillows primary function is to align and offer support to your bone system, releasing the pressure exerted on the spine, hips, and knees. This process has been discovered to improve the quality of sleep, pain relief, and overall well-being.

Patients recuperating from surgery or injuries, as well as pregnant women, can also benefit from using knee pillows. We hope this guide offers all the answers to help you make a well-informed decision on your next knee pillow purchase.