A Leg Elevation Pillow Might Help Reduce Swelling

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IF YOU'RE contemplating the use of a leg elevation pillow, it's likely you're seeking a comfortable sleep solution or relief from leg pain, swelling, or lower back discomfort. Leg elevation pillows and wedge pillows are versatile and doctor-recommended supportive tools for those dealing with circulatory issues, post-surgery recovery, or general discomfort in the lower legs.

When you use a leg elevation pillow, you raise your legs above heart level, effectively countering the force of gravity on the blood and lymphatic fluid in your lower limbs. As explained by Dr. Daniel Drechsler, a dual board-certified family medicine and sports medicine physician with Pardee BlueMD in Mills River, North Carolina, this elevation helps prevent fluid pooling, which can lead to swelling and poor circulation. Leg elevation pillows aren't magic, but they offer a practical and portable solution to these issues.

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The best leg elevation pillows and wedge pillows are not only convenient but are also engineered to be the ideal height to alleviate pressure on your lower back. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 75-85% of American adults experience some form of lower back pain during their lifetime. This makes choosing the right leg elevation pillow essential for ensuring comfortable sleep and long-term health.

Thanks to the multitude of options available, selecting the perfect leg elevation pillow can be a daunting task. To help you make an informed decision, Men’s Health consulted experts, including Dr. Drechsler, and conducted hands-on testing of 12 top-rated pillows from online retailers like Walmart and Amazon. The result is this comprehensive guide to the best leg elevation pillows on the market, designed to address various needs, including post-surgery comfort, lower back pain relief, and pregnancy sleep support.

Keep reading to discover our favorite eight leg elevation pillows for a comfortable sleep solution and improved circulation this year.

Kӧlbs Leg Elevation Pillow

The Kӧlbs Leg Elevation Pillow is a can’t-go-wrong option that will work for most people recovering from surgery, needing to relieve back pain, or simply looking for better circulation in the lower limbs at night. Through our testing, we found that its standard 7-inch height and flat top is the ideal shape and height for most users.

According to Dr. Drechsler, “The shins should be at least parallel to the floor, up to about 10-15 degrees of flexion (not completely straight).” The flat top of the Kӧlbs should provide the necessary parallel angle for optimal relief.

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JOYWOO Memory Foam Leg Elevation Pillow

Recovering from a knee or ankle surgery? The JOYWOO Memory Foam Leg Elevation Pillow is one of the best options. Its U-shaped design secures a single leg from slipping or gliding off of the pillow—the added snugness comes in handy to stabilize the lower leg for those who move often while asleep.

We love that it has three possible height adjustments to allow for the right level of comfort for each user. Additionally, the top layer is made with gel memory foam, which adds a cooling factor to balance body heat. We especially appreciate that the cover is washable, as well.

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LOKFEHRE Leg Elevation Pillow

Most leg elevation pillows are made with memory foam, but LOKFEHRE inflatable leg elevation pillow offers an alternative that solves a common challenge—bulkiness. Whether you’re often on the go, planning a weekend getaway, or challenged with limited space at home, an inflatable leg elevation pillow like the LOKFEHRE can be your best option. It’s also ideal as a secondary pillow for travel purposes.

Because it's inflatable, its firmness can be controlled by adding the desired amount of air. The pillow is made with a soft PVC fabric outer layer that is incredibly soft for the touch and doesn't squeak like other inflatable options we tested. It has contours that hug around the calf, which helps decrease pressure in unwanted areas. A pump is required to inflate it, but frustratingly, it does not come with a pump included.

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MORTGO Leg Elevation Pillows

Looking for versatility? MORTGO Leg Elevation Pillows offers just that. It is an ideal pillow to elevate the legs, but is also a perfect shape and size to use as a back pillow and sleeping pillow. The interior is made of memory foam, which is firm yet offers some give to contour to the body. The exterior removable washable cover has an anti-slip bottom that helps keep the pillow secured in place, which we found minimized our need to constantly adjust its position.

The height of the pillow ranges from 6 inches at its lowest to 8 inches at its highest, which offers ideal support from the ankle up to the lower portion of the thigh—relieving pressure at multiple points.

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Forias Half Moon Bolster Pillow

Leg elevation pillows can be quite hefty. Depending on the relief you’re looking for, all that size may be unnecessary in terms of the support it will provide. The half-moon shape can be placed below your knees or ankle to provide elevation in a targeted area to take pressure off the low back and raise the legs. It may not offer the same versatility as some other options since its design allows for elevation in only one area at a time. However, this could be ideal for individuals seeking to focus on a particular zone exclusively.

It's made with a firm memory foam interior that we found holds its shape well over time, and topped with a washable plush cover. The pillow is 20 inches long with a 4.3-inch height, a few inches shorter than most other options. We love the compact size for bringing from room to room in our home, as it doesn't take up much real estate on a couch or sofa.

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Cushy Form Wedge Pillow

If you're unsure whether a leg elevation pillow will offer the relief you need, then a budget option may be the right route to take (at least initially). While most quality leg elevation pillows aren’t very expensive, you can still save a few dollars and still get a great option by first giving the Cushy Form Wedge Pillow a try. It comes in a standard 8-inch height with a generous 24-inch length.

The memory foam interior and washable cover resemble the same design elements of pricier alternatives, though it does land on the firmer side of those we tested. The wedge design is versatile, supporting both the back and lower limbs incredibly well.

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Kolbs Single Leg Elevation Pillow

For post-op recovery from surgery, users most likely need to support only one leg. That’s where Kӧlbs Single Leg Elevation Pillow is ideal. The U-shaped pillow has a 3-inch dip that contours to the lower leg and stabilizes it from sliding off of the pillow, especially while you’re asleep.

The pillow is 13 inches wide and 29 inches long, which we found comfortable for most users. The size and shape is ideal for those recovering from ankle, knee, or other lower limb surgeries. However, because of its design, it lacks versatility compared to more traditional leg elevation pillows.

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KingPavonini Adjustable Leg Elevation Pillow

Just how hot sleepers can benefit from cooling sheets and mattresses to balance body temperature, a cooling leg elevation pillow can do the same for your lower limbs. The KingPavonini Adjustable Leg Elevation Pillow is the best cooling option we discovered that offers comfort and relief for hot sleepers.

Aside from helping to regulate body heat with 4 inches of cooling gel, the pillow is adjustable in height from 6 inches to 8 inches to match most users’ comfort level. The removable washable cover has a stain resistant liner, and a non-slip bottom to prevent unwanted shifting. The wedge design and 21-inch width is ideal for elevating both legs, and can even be used behind the back while sitting upright.

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How to Choose the Best Leg Elevation Pillow (for You)

When it comes to choosing the best leg elevation pillow for you, Dr. Drechsler recommends a few key features to keep in mind.

Pillow design: Determine your specific needs for the leg elevation pillow. Are you recovering from surgery, experiencing leg swelling, or looking for relief from lower back pain? Different pillow designs cater to various purposes, so knowing your primary goal will help you select the most suitable option

Wedge-shaped pillows provide gradual elevation and are excellent for general leg elevation, reducing acid reflux when placed under the upper body, or providing back support while sleeping.

Designed to support the knees and lower legs, knee pillows and bolsters are ideal for individuals with knee pain, hip pain, or those who need to maintain a specific leg position.

Inflatable pillows offer customizable elevation levels and are great for travel, as they can be deflated when not in use.

Height: "The hips should be flexed to about 30 degrees. If you go beyond about 30 degrees, there is negligible benefit with increasing patient discomfort,” the dual board-certified physician said. “The shins should be at least parallel to the floor, up to about 10-15 degrees of flexion (not completely straight).” As a general guide, a height of 6-8 inches works well for most people.

Material: A pillow that can be easily cleaned is a must-have, especially for patients with opened wounds or infections. Most of the leg elevation pillows on our list have washable covers.

Firmness: The level of firmness can affect your comfort, so choose one that aligns with your preferences. As a general tip: the more firm a pillow is, the more like it is to retain its shape and supportiveness over time. Leg elevation pillows made from high-density foam or memory foam are great options.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Leg Elevation Pillow?

There are a number of benefits to utilizing a leg elevation pillow including post lower limb surgery recoveries, blood flow, vein disorders, and reducing swelling and inflammation.

“By elevating the legs above the level of the heart, patients can take advantage of gravity to allow blood that has accumulated in the lower extremities to return to the heart via veins," Dr. Drechsler explains. "When upright, blood returning to the heart must pass through small valves in the veins, and muscles act as pumps to push the blood along against gravity."

According to him, leg elevation pillows have the potential to enhance the movement of fluids from the soft tissues back into the circulatory system, aided by gravity which assists in the drainage of the lymphatic system from the legs, ultimately returning the fluid to the bloodstream

An additional advantage of utilizing leg elevation pillows is the alteration of the lumbar spine's natural curvature. When you elevate your legs, it positions your hips with a mild flexion, causing a slight flexing of the lumbar spine. This adjustment expands the spinal canal, potentially alleviating pressure on the spinal cord, according to Dr. Drechsler.

Are There Potential Risks Associated with Using a Leg Elevation Pillow?

Leg elevation pillows aren’t for everyone. They certainly aren't intended to replace any prescribed treatments given by a physician or other licensed healthcare provider, either. “Patients with arterial insufficiency (poor blood circulation) may experience worsening pain with leg elevation,” Dr. Drechsler told Men's Health.

In addition, leg elevation pillows are not meant to be used for an over extended period of time. Prolonged use “can place undue pressure on the skin and soft tissues of the low back and posterior hips, leading to potential muscle and joint stiffness, pain, and even skin breakdown and pressure ulcerations," according to Dr. Drechsler. He added, “This is especially true in patients with poor mobility, numbness, or who are paraplegic.”

Why You Can Trust Us

At Men's Health, we take great pride in providing our readers with reliable and trustworthy product recommendations. We believe that our readers deserve the best, which is why we always make sure to conduct thorough research and testing before making any recommendations. For this story, we interviewed experts including Dr. Daniel Drechsler, a dual board-certified family medicine and sports medicine physician with Pardee BlueMD in Mills River, North Carolina.

Our writers and editors are also experts in their own right, using their informed opinions to select products and ensuring that our content is of the highest quality. Our product recommendations are purely editorial, and while we may receive free products to test and review, we only recommend the products we are most impressed by. We never let retailers or public relations contacts dictate our content or product coverage, which is why you can trust us to provide you with reliable and unbiased product recommendations.

How We Selected the Best Leg Elevation Pillows

For the past several years, Men's Health's Fitness editors and writers have been testing and evaluating the best leg elevation pillows for lounging and sleeping. Experts including Fitness and Commerce Editor Talene Appleton, NASM-CPT, have tested and assessed 12 leg elevation pillows from top-rated brands to determine which ones are worth recommending to our readers. When evaluating each pillow, we looked at factors like comfort, durability, material, support, size, and overall value.

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