Two stretches that can help with shoulder pain from sleeping

The shoulder is a complex joint, and it’s used to do many tasks that you do every day. While sleeping is usually good for the body, it can cause issues in the shoulder and neck. Usually, such issues are a result of poor head and neck support, but they could also be caused by sleeping in a position that puts too much strain on the neck and shoulder. If you’re dealing with shoulder pain from sleeping issues, there are two stretching exercises that can help treat your pain. 

1. Head tilt

For many people, shoulder pain from sleeping is located in the top of the shoulder, and it may run all the way into the neck. To help treat pain in these areas, the head tilt stretch is an excellent option. 

Start the head tilt by sitting up straight in a stable chair. You’ll also want to position your head so that it’s centered over your shoulders, and your arms should be allowed to hang straight down by your sides. Once your body is in this position, you’re in the starting position for this stretch. From here, slowly tilt your head to the left like you’re trying to touch your left ear to your left shoulder. Keep tilting your head until you feel a stretch in the right side of your neck. Then, hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds before returning to the start position. Repeat these steps to stretch the other side of your neck, and continue repeating them until you’ve stretched both sides three to five times. 

2. Child pose

Child pose is a position you may have heard of because it’s commonly used in yoga routines. This pose is also a fantastic stretch for the muscles on the back of your shoulder, and that’s why it can be so helpful to people with shoulder pain from sleeping. 

To prepare yourself for the child pose, kneel down on the floor with the tops of your feet flat on the floor. You’ll then want to let your butt drop until it’s resting on your legs. From this starting position, slowly bend forward from the waist with your arms straight out above your head. Continue to bend forward until your palms touch the ground, and once they do, let gravity press you toward the floor to stretch the back of your shoulders. Hold this position for about a minute, and then you can slowly return to the starting position.

Find more treatment options for shoulder pain from sleeping at Advent Physical Therapy

Are you tired of living with shoulder pain from sleeping? Advent Physical Therapy has physical therapy that can help you. Our team will start your treatment process by doing a free screening to determine the source of your pain. Then, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan for you that uses therapy techniques such as: 

• Therapeutic stretches
• Manual therapy 
• Ergonomic recommendations
• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment to start treating your shoulder pain from sleeping.