Recovery with Comfortable Sleep: The Missing Link in Shoulder Surgery Care – Talk with Sam Jacobsak

Episode 23

Click Below To Listen….

In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews Sam Jacobsak, former professional baseball player and founder of Shoulder Sleeper. Sam Jacobsak shares the “aha moment” following his own labral surgery when he realized the standard medical sling offered zero support for sleeping, leading to severe inflammation and sleepless nights. Together with his physical therapist co-founder, Sam Jakobsak developed the Shoulder Sleeper pillow—a patented, custom-fitted sleep brace that props the humerus, prevents rolling, and eliminates painful neck straps. They discuss the transition from professional athletics to entrepreneurship, the upcoming clinical trial measuring the pillow’s impact on reducing opioid use, and how comfortable sleep is transforming orthopedic recovery.

Key Takeaways:

  • Solving the Sleep Gap: Standard post-op slings are designed for standing with gravity, offering no support when lying down. The Shoulder Sleeper fills this gap as a dedicated, custom-fitted sleep brace.
  • Immediate Relief: Many patients report getting their first full night of sleep in weeks on the very first night they use the Shoulder Sleeper, drastically reducing morning pain and inflammation.
  • Beyond the Rotator Cuff: While designed for post-op shoulder surgery, the pillow has proven effective for dislocations, clavicle fractures, and even lymphedema patients recovering from breast cancer surgery.
  • Pre-Hab Benefits: Sleeping with the pillow before surgery can reduce inflammation enough that some patients have successfully delayed or canceled their procedures by making physical therapy more effective.
  • Reducing Opioid Dependency: An upcoming clinical trial will measure whether patients using the Shoulder Sleeper require fewer opioids for nighttime pain compared to those using a standard sling.

Connect with our Guest

🎙️ To be a guest or suggest an episode, email: info@primehealthpodcast.com

Connect with us:

🙏 Please leave us a review on your favorite platform:

🎙️ Riverside: https://riverside.fm/dashboard/studios/derek-barons-studio/podcast

🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX8L0BBe8OdwvlH_YsONOJROVBFxLxto0

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prime-health-podcast/id1835679843

🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2zYlwjo5863xRzG6bh9wuH

Other Episodes

Stem Cells, Pain Relief, and the Future of Healing – Talk with Seth Berge

Click Below To Listen…. In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews healthcare entrepreneur Seth Berge, the founder of Regenerative Revival and Precision Biologics.

Movement Is Medicine: How One PT Is Changing Patient Outcomes – Talk with Dr. Emily Andrews

Click Below To Listen…. In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews Dr. Emily Andrews, a Doctor of Physical Therapy practicing out of Ellensburg,

When Rehab Fails Athletes: A Sports PT’s Personal Wake-Up Call from the Inside – Talk with Dr. Joey Scambia

Click Below To Listen…. In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews Dr. Joey Scambia, a board-certified sports physical therapy specialist and the founder

From Medical Tourism to Medical Truth: A Real Conversation About Stem Cells – Talk with Dr. Ramon De La Puerta

Click Below To Listen…. In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews Dr. Ramon De La Puerta, the CEO and founder of Z-lounge Regenerative

From Radiology to Longevity: Rethinking Modern Medicine – Talk with Dr. Jason Itri

Click Below To Listen…. In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews Dr. Jason Itri, a diagnostic radiologist and the founder of Longevity Health

“You’re Not Broken”: The Menopause Care Gap: What Women Aren’t Being Told About Their Health – Talk with Sally Mueller

Click Below To Listen…. In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews Sally Mueller, the co-founder and CEO of Womaness. After a successful 25-year