Best queen mattresses for back pain

Start here: Nectar Classic Memory Foam, queen, medium-firm. It's the one pick that states both the size and the medium-firm feel you asked for, with a 12-inch memory-foam build that cradles pressure points while keeping the surface supportive — the combination most back-pain sleepers do best on. Ratings are middling, so buy it where returns are easy.

Who the others suit:

• Helix Midnight Luxe — best for side sleepers with back pain; a medium feel with more give at the shoulder and hip, and the strongest reviews here.
• Helix Plus — for heavier sleepers who need extra support; medium-firm and rated to very high weights.
• Beautyrest BR800 Medium Firm — if you want a traditional pocket-spring bed with a firmer, more "on top of it" feel.
• Big Fig Classic — a medium-firm hybrid built for durability, but the listing I found is a king, not a queen.

Whatever you choose, give a medium-firm bed a few weeks and use a firm, thin pillow to keep your spine neutral.