How To Use A Knee Pillow

Knee pillows are specialised pillows designed to sit comfortably between your legs. They can be used while sleeping or relaxing and are mainly used to improve spinal alignment, reduce hip pressure, and lessen back pain. Many also simply love them for the extra comfort!

However, before you achieve a cosy sleeping position, you must know how to use a knee pillow. Luckily, these pillows are very intuitive. But we’re here to give extra tips and tricks to ensure you sleep like a baby. Keep reading to find out more.

What Kind Of Knee Pillow Should You Use?

The idea of a knee pillow may already sound niche, but there are more sub-categories of pillow within this sub-category! Here’s a quick overview of each.

Ergonomic Knee Pillows — Specialised ergonomic knee pillows are designed to sit between your legs and provide tangible health benefits. A good example of this style is the Groove X pillow. Designed to cradle your thighs and maintain a proper posture, this pillow is perfect for expert assistance. It even has a strap to ensure it stays in place overnight!
Wedge Pillows — Wedge pillows have a triangular shape, making them easy to slot between your knees. These usually are made from specialised materials but lack the ergonomic leg shaping that other pillows have.
Body Pillows — Body pillows are much longer than knee pillows. They are designed to provide full-body comfort from head to toe. They’re popular with pregnant women and those who want to hug a pillow while sleeping.
Standard Pillows — You can use normal pillows as a knee pillow simply by placing them between your legs. These don’t offer the support of specialised pillows and often aren’t made from smart materials (e.g. memory foam).

When choosing a knee pillow, there’s no right or wrong answer. Some offer more specialised support than others, but it truly comes down to what feels the best for you.

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How to Use a Knee Pillow

Whether you sleep on your side, back, or stomach, you can add a knee pillow to your bedtime routine. See step-by-step instructions for using a knee pillow below.

For Side Sleepers

Lie on your side and get into a comfortable side sleeping position.
Place the pillow between your knees.
Ensure your upper knee isn’t dropping forward, as this can twist your spine.
Check whether your legs and hips are aligned.
Keep adjusting to ensure your spine is straight.

For Back Sleepers

Lie on your back in a proper back sleeping position.
Add the pillow under or beneath your knees.
Maintain a neutral spine and ensure your legs, hips, and back aren’t twisted.

Adding the pillow under your knees while sleeping on your back can elevate your legs and reduce lower back pain.

For Stomach Sleepers

Lie on your stomach as you would normally sleep.
Place the pillow between your knees.
Adjust the pillow until it feels comfortable.
Keep your back straight and avoid twisting.

When to Use a Knee Pillow

You may want to use a knee pillow to alleviate back or hip pain. Thanks to the pillow’s design and position, it can reduce the pressure on your hips and increase spinal alignment.

Sleeping in an unhealthy position can lead to pain on waking (Cary, Jacques and Briffa, 2021), so it’s crucial to maintain a healthy posture overnight.

Knee pillows can also relieve arthritis, sciatica, and tossing and turning throughout the night.

Many also use pillows to achieve a more comfortable position. This can promote a deeper quality of sleep, leading to less sleep deprivation and better cognitive function, working memory, and performance during the day (Alhola and Polo-Kantola, 2007).

Extra Tips For Using a Knee Pillow

At first, a knee pillow might feel uncomfortable. It might take a few nights of sleep to get used to it. You can also use these tips to elevate your comfort:

Keep adjusting the pillow until you find a comfortable position
Look for pillows with memory foam fillings, as this can reduce pressure and stress on your knees
Select a pillow with built-in straps so it doesn’t move throughout the knight
Clean the pillow regularly (a pillow with a removable cover is most manageable for cleaning)
Adopt a healthy sleeping posture in addition to using the knee pillow

Final Words

Whether you want to relieve hip pressure, reduce lower back pain, or simply get a good night's rest, a knee pillow is a great addition to any evening routine. These pillows can improve your sleep quality and overall health, making you feel refreshed and less anxious when the sun starts to set.

Learn more about knee pillows today. Shop the Groove X pillow here.

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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What Is the Correct Way To Use a Knee Pillow?

The correct way to use a knee pillow is to place it between your legs while keeping your legs, hips, and arms aligned. You’ll also want to keep your spine in a neutral position. Otherwise, you might end up with back pain.

Do Knee Pillows Really Work?

Yes - knee pillows have been proven to increase sleep comfort and relieve pressure on knees and other crucial joints. Ergonomic knee pillows relieve back pain and reduce tossing and turning overnight.

Is Sleeping With a Pillow Under Your Knees Good for You?

Using a knee pillow under your knees (rather than between them) is also beneficial. This elevates your legs, leading to less swelling and better overall circulation. A pillow under your legs works best when sleeping on your back.

References

Alhola, P. and Polo-Kantola, P. (2007). Sleep deprivation: Impact on cognitive performance. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, [online] 3(5), pp.553–567. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/.
Cary, D., Jacques, A. and Briffa, K. (2021). Examining relationships between sleep posture, waking spinal symptoms and quality of sleep: A cross sectional study. PLOS ONE, 16(11), p.e0260582. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260582.

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