Shoulder blade pain: can your pillow play a part?
Pain around the shoulder blade has many possible causes, and your pillow is only one of them. If your head, neck and shoulder rest in an awkward position at night, a pillow that doesn't suit you can contribute.
What does my pillow have to do with my shoulder blade?
Your neck, shoulders and upper back work closely together. If your pillow is too high, your head bends sideways or is pushed forward. If it is too low, your head sinks down and your shoulder doesn't get enough room. This can be felt as far as the shoulder blade area, but it doesn't have to be. If you sleep on your side, our article Pillow for Shoulder Pain: What Side Sleepers Should Look For explains what to pay attention to when choosing a pillow. If your discomfort is centred more in the shoulder joint itself, you can find background information in our separate article on shoulder impingement exercises.
The right pillow height brings your head and cervical spine into line and gives your shoulder room. It is not a cure. It doesn't remove any cause of pain; it can only reduce one possible strain during the night.
What determines the right height?
It is different for everyone. Three things matter:
- Body measurements: shoulder width, neck circumference and neck length.
- Sleeping position: back, side or front. You can read more in our article Pillows for side sleepers.
- Mattress: soft, medium or firm. On a soft mattress your shoulder sinks in deeper than on a firm one.
How does Pillowise determine your size?
Pillowise is a made-to-measure pillow made of memory foam. Your size is based on three measurements:
| Measuring point | How to measure |
|---|---|
| Shoulder width | around the curve of your back, without pulling the tape measure tight |
| Neck circumference | once all the way around |
| Neck length | from the bottom of your ear to the tip of your shoulder |
Taking your sleeping position and your mattress into account, an algorithm uses these to choose the right one of six sizes. Each has its own colour: pink, orange, green, blue, red and purple.
You can get measured at a Pillowise stockist using the Pillowise tape measure. Or you can use PillowScan at scan.pillowise.com, via your smartphone or a QR code.
The method comes from Thijs van der Hilst. He is a physiotherapist who specialised in neck and shoulder complaints. He couldn't recommend a suitable pillow to his patients, so he developed a measuring method himself.
How can I tell that my pillow doesn't suit me?
We describe how to recognise this in the article Pillow too high or too low. You can read how the height is worked out under Calculating pillow height.
When should you have the pain checked?
Pain around the shoulder blade can come from muscles, joints or the spine, and sometimes from internal organs. Have persistent or worsening pain checked by a doctor. This applies all the more if you have tingling, numbness, shortness of breath or chest pain. We deliberately don't give treatment tips here.
So: do you need a new pillow?
If you wake up feeling rested and your pillow feels right, you don't need to change anything. If you doubt the height, however, measuring helps more than guessing. A suitable pillow is no substitute for a medical check. But it does clarify whether the height suits your body.
Work out your size yourself or find a stockist near you.
Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise
