Shoulder Impingement: Exercises and the Role of Your Pillow

Which exercises suit shoulder impingement depends on the cause, and a doctor or physiotherapist should decide. So you won't find an exercise list here. Instead, you'll find an honest answer about what a pillow can and can't do for your shoulder.

Why isn't there an exercise list here?

As a pillow maker, we're not practitioners. Shoulder pain when moving your arms overhead or lying on your side is often called “impingement”. There can be a range of causes behind it, and not every exercise suits every cause. Exercises come after an assessment, not before. If the complaints persist or wake you at night, please have them checked by a doctor. That's also where you'll get exercises that suit your shoulder.

What can a pillow do for your shoulder?

When you sleep on your side, the weight of your shoulder and upper body rests on the mattress. The pillow bridges the gap between your head and the mattress. If it's too low, your head sinks down. If it's too high, your head is pushed up. When the height is right, your head and neck are supported in a line while you sleep on your side. Pillowise is a comfort product and is not intended to treat shoulder complaints.

A well-fitted pillow is not a cure and doesn't replace exercises or treatment. It simply makes sure your sleeping position isn't getting in your way. You can read more at Pillows for side sleepers and Pillow too high or too low.

How does Pillowise work out the right height?

Shoulder width, neck circumference and neck length are different for everyone. Then there's your sleeping position and your mattress. That's why Pillowise takes three measurements:

• Shoulder width: around the curve of your back, with the tape measure sitting loosely rather than pulled tight.
• Neck circumference: once all the way around.
• Neck length: from the bottom of your ear to the tip of your shoulder.

Your sleeping position (back, side, stomach) and your mattress (soft, medium, firm) are also taken into account. An algorithm then selects the right pillow from six sizes, each with its own colour: pink, orange, green, blue, red and purple.

The method comes from physiotherapy. Thijs van der Hilst, who specialised in neck and shoulder complaints, couldn't recommend a suitable pillow to his patients with neck complaints, so he developed a measuring method himself. You can be measured either at a stockist with the Pillowise tape measure, or measure yourself with PillowScan.

So: do you need to change anything?

If you're comfortable on your current pillow, there's nothing you need to change. If you're unsure about the height, for example because you sleep on your side, measuring is a sensible step. For exercises for shoulder complaints, a professional remains your first port of call.

Find your size: Measure yourself or find a stockist near you.

Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise