Today people like either a very firm mattress or medium firm mattress. If you have shoulder issues you definitely do not want a firm mattress, since your shoulders will freeze up at nite. In the morning you will be feeling it. But if you have shoulder issues a medium firm mattress would do your shoulders just fine. If your doctor recommends a firm mattress look into the Royal Pedic line we carry. If he recommends a medium firm innerspring mattress look into the Waverly mattress we carry. Both are on our website for you to read all about. www.theorganicmattressstore.com