4 techniques physical therapists can use to ease shoulder pain from sleeping

Waking up from a night of uncomfortable sleep can leave you feeling achy and unenergized for the rest of the day. If you have woken up with a painful or stiff feeling in your shoulder, you may find it difficult to perform everyday work or activities that you enjoy. 

While there are several reasons you may experience shoulder pain from sleeping, many of them can be treated without the need for surgery. According to the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, nearly 80% of patients found physical therapy to be very effective in treating their shoulder pain.

Why am I experiencing shoulder pain from sleeping?

Waking up with a painful or stiff shoulder could be caused by:

• Bursitis — Bursitis is inflammation or irritation of a bursa sac typically caused by repeated pressure on an area or repetitive use.

• Shoulder impingement — A shoulder impingement can occur when the tendons in your shoulder rub or become caught on the bone. This causes pain that becomes worse when the arm is lifted over the head.

• Osteoarthritis of the shoulder — As we age, the cartilage between our joints becomes thinner. This causes the joints to rub against one another, causing pain and stiffness in the joints. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is very common in people over 65 years of age.

How can physical therapists help with shoulder pain from sleeping?

If your shoulder hurts after you sleep, it may be time to turn to a licensed physical therapist in your area. Here are four ways that they can help:

1. Joint mobilization — Joint mobilization techniques allow your physical therapist to restore movement to joints that are experiencing stiffness, inflammation or a reduced range of motion. If you cannot move the joint a certain way on your own, your physical therapist will use their hands to help you do so.

2. Soft tissue mobilization — The muscles and tendons in your shoulder are all considered soft tissue. During soft tissue mobilization, fibrous scar tissue is broken up by applying deep pressure and rhythmic stretching to the muscle. It is also effective in treating spasms or other causes of muscle pain in the shoulder.

3. Muscle energy therapy — This method helps improve joint mobility by intentionally stretching the muscles around it by moving the joint in a specific direction.

4. Sleep position training — Choosing the right way to sleep can help reduce pain while recovering from a shoulder injury or condition. Your physical therapist can instruct you on the best positions and techniques to reduce your shoulder pain from sleeping.

If you are suffering from shoulder pain from sleeping, it may be time to turn to a licensed physical therapist for help. Come by any one of Advent Physical Therapy’s West Michigan clinics for a free screening, and our team will help to determine the source of your shoulder pain and work with you to create a physical therapy plan that is perfectly suited to your needs.

Contact our team today for more information on how physical therapy can help.