This won’t be a totally successful fix, of course, because most people change positions during the course of the night.Ī better side-sleeping position is lying on the opposite shoulder with the painful shoulder toward the ceiling. One possible solution is to try switching which side you sleep on each night. As your body relaxes, the pressure on your shoulder stresses the rotator cuff, which can lead to inflammation and the formation of tiny tears. On your side, you’re putting all the weight of your upper body on the shoulder joint. Here’s a breakdown on sleeping positions that may harm the rotator cuff and better alternatives that are more shoulder-friendly. Poor sleeping posture can put pressure on the rotator cuff and even cause further damage to the tendons and shoulder joint. But one thing he wants his shoulder patients to keep in mind is that the way you sleep - your “sleep posture” - can affect the rotator cuff. Nickson diagnoses and treats all kinds of rotator cuff issues, from acute injuries to degeneration resulting from overuse. It is appropriately named, because together these connective tissues not only form a cuff-like structure to hold your shoulder in place, but they allow your arm to rotate in different directions.Īt Next Step Orthopedics, Dr. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that wrap around the head of your upper arm bone and attach it to the shoulder blade. You’d be wise to get it checked out, because if left untreated, rotator cuff issues can lead to weakness and loss of motion in the affected shoulder. Whether it’s in the morning or not, an achy, stiff shoulder can signal a rotator cuff problem. So you change positions and go back to sleep, but wake up in the morning with a dull ache and stiffness in the same shoulder. You get into a comfortable position and drift off to sleep, only to wake up with a sharp pain in your shoulder.

Back pulls while lying on side