Shoulder Impingement: Exercises and the Role of Your Pillow

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

Why isn't there a list of exercises here?

As a pillow maker, we are not practitioners. Shoulder pain during overhead movements or when lying on your side is often called “impingement.” There can be different causes behind it, and not every exercise suits every cause. Exercises come after an examination, not before. If the symptoms persist or wake you at night, please have them assessed by a doctor. That is also where you will 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 is too low, your head sinks. If it is too high, your head is pushed upward. When the height is right, the pillow supports your head and neck at a suitable height for your body. This is about sleeping comfort, not about relieving shoulder complaints.

A suitable pillow is not a cure and does not replace exercises or treatment. It simply makes sure your sleeping position doesn't get in your way any more than it has to. You can read more at Pillows for side sleepers and at Pillow too high or too low.

How does Pillowise determine the right height?

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

• Shoulder width: around the curve of your back, with the tape measure resting loosely.
• 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 factored in as well. An algorithm then selects the suitable 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 specialized 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 retailer with the Pillowise tape measure or yourself with PillowScan.

So: do you need to change anything?

If you lie comfortably on your pillow, you don't need to change anything. 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 point of contact.

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

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