How should I sleep after rotator cuff surgery?

Sit back in a recliner or on two or three pillows. Put pillows under your elbow and hand, keep the sling on, and stay off the operated side.

How long will I sleep in a recliner after rotator cuff surgery?

No study says. One surgeon writes that many people prefer a recliner especially for the first few days.

Is it normal to not sleep after rotator cuff surgery?

Yes. Sleep can be hard for the first week or two. In small studies, sleep was better by about 3 months.

Rotator cuff surgery · Weeks 0 to 2

Rotator Cuff Surgery Recovery, First 2 Weeks: What’s Normal

You jolt awake in the recliner, arm strapped in the sling, and can’t reach the lever on your bad side.

Yes, hard nights, bruising and some arm swelling are common in the first two weeks. The sling stays on, nights included, and expect weeks for the worst nights to ease.

What’s normal now

Pain at night is common after a cuff repair. One NHS leaflet calls it “particularly common.” Source
One hospital warns that sleep can be hard for the first week or two. Source
In one small study of 34 people, sleep trended worse at 2 weeks, then improved by 3 months. Source
Bruising and some arm swelling are common, and usually fade over a few weeks. Source
The sling stays on, nights included. Most leaflets say about 4 to 6 weeks; your surgeon sets the date. Source

Free milestone map

Where are you in recovery?

Pick your surgery and your week. Your map opens right here: what’s normal now, what usually comes next, and the guides for each stage. No email needed.

What usually comes next

Expect weeks for the worst nights to ease, and months for sleep to fully come back. Source
In AAOS’s usual rehab order, a therapist moves the arm for you at first. After the sling weeks, you start moving it yourself. Source

Questions to bring to your surgeon or PT

Can I sleep on my back or my good side, or should I stay sitting up? Source
Can I loosen the sling when I lie down? Source
Can I time my prescribed pain relief so it’s working as I fall asleep? Source
How long should each ice session be? Leaflets cap it at 10 to 20 minutes. Source

Don’t wait for your next visit

A fever above 101°F (38.3°C), or feeling unwell with a temperature. Source
Redness, warmth, swelling, red streaks or yellow or green discharge at a wound, or a wound that opens. Source
Numbness or tingling in your fingers or hand once any nerve block has worn off. Source
Pain or swelling in one calf or thigh. Source
Pain your prescribed pain relief doesn’t touch, or a sudden jump in severe pain. Source

Chest pain or trouble breathing: call 911.

Questions men ask at this stage

How should I sleep after rotator cuff surgery?: Sit back in a recliner or on two or three pillows. Put pillows under your elbow and hand, keep the sling on, and stay off the operated side. Source
How long will I sleep in a recliner after rotator cuff surgery?: No study says. One surgeon writes that many people prefer a recliner especially for the first few days. Source
Is it normal to not sleep after rotator cuff surgery?: Yes. Sleep can be hard for the first week or two. In small studies, sleep was better by about 3 months. Source