Who We Are

OrthoRest was built by a surgeon who saw the problem firsthand, an engineer who designed the solution from the ground up, and an operations leader who knows how to deliver it. Every decision — clinical, mechanical, and operational — is made by people who are deeply invested in helping patients heal.

Our Team

The right team to solve the problem

Richard Stowell, MD
Dr. Stowell is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and elbow conditions, with expertise spanning arthroscopic and minimally invasive surgery, joint reconstruction, trauma, and fracture management.

After medical school at Virginia Commonwealth University and a residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, he completed a highly competitive fellowship in shoulder and elbow surgery.

Throughout his career, Dr. Stowell noticed that poor post-operative sleep was undermining his patients' recovery. Knowing that restorative rest is critical to healing outcomes, [2][8] he partnered with an experienced engineer to develop OrthoRest. — a sleep system purpose-built to support the shoulder in the optimal position for soft tissue recovery. He holds multiple patented orthopedic instruments, has contributed extensively to orthopedic literature, and has pioneered new surgical techniques throughout his career.
Ben Brough
Ben brings a rigorous engineering background to the physical design and manufacturing of OrthoRest. With a Master's degree and years of hands-on experience developing and producing physical products, he understands what it takes to translate a concept into something that performs reliably in the real world.

When Dr. Stowell brought him the challenge of building a better post-surgical sleep solution, Ben engineered every curve, contour, and material choice with purpose — ensuring the final product delivers the support patients actually need during recovery.
Trent Stowell
Trent has spent his career at the intersection of operations, healthcare, and customer experience. Before joining OrthoRest, he served as Operations Vice President at Prestige Financial Services, where he led large-scale servicing operations for nearly seven years.

His earlier work as a Healthcare Administrator gave him firsthand exposure to the challenges patients face during recovery — making OrthoRest's mission personal. Trent holds an MBA from Ohio University and a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business.
Patent Pending

Improve your rest and your recovery today!

Buy Now
OrthoRest creates recovery pillows for orthopedic surgeries, especially shoulder operations. Founded by Dr. Stowell, the company solves discomfort during sleep post-surgery. Many patients, particularly side and stomach sleepers, find it hard to be comfortable. Contact us for more infromation on better sleep post-surgery.
Our Solution
Contact Us
Buy Now
© 2026 OrthoRest. All rights reserved. Patent Pending.
[1] Das A, Gupta R, Huda F, et al. "Effect of sleep quality on wound healing among patients undergoing emergency laparotomy: an observational study." J Clin Sleep Med. 2025;21(3):503–512
[2] da Silva FR, Guerreiro RC, Barreto AT, et al. "Can Improving Postoperative Sleep Speed Up Surgical Recovery?" Sleep Sci. 2024;17(3):e335–e338.
‍[3] Total Joint Arthroplasty and Sleep: The State of the Evidence. Arthroplasty Today. 2024;27:101383
‍[4] Sleep Quality and Recovery in Total Knee Arthroplasty. J Surg Med. 2025;9(11):245–250.
[5] Effects of Sleep on Recovery Following Elective Orthopedic Surgery. Presented at CSM 2024 (APTA Combined Sections Meeting), Boston, MA. February 15, 2024.
[6] Besedovsky L, Lange T, Haack M. "The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease." Physiol Rev. 2019;99(3):1325–1380.
‍[7] Chouchou F, Khoury S, Chauny JM, et al. "Postoperative sleep disruptions: a potential catalyst of acute pain?" Sleep Med Rev. 2014;18(3):273–282.
‍[8] Irwin MR. "Why Sleep Is Important for Health: A Psychoneuroimmunology Perspective." Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:143–172.
‍[9] Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. "Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function." Lancet. 1999;354(9188):1435–1439.
‍[10] Perez AR, Destiné H, Patel NK, et al. "Effects of Melatonin on Sleep Quality and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery." Am J Sports Med. 2024;52(12):3075–3083.
‍[11] GQ: Laurence E. "The Best Sleeping Position, According to Experts." GQ. January 24, 2026.
‍[12] Irwin MR, Olmstead R, Bjurstrom MF, et al. "Sleep disruption and activation of cellular inflammation mediate heightened pain sensitivity: a randomized clinical trial." Pain. 2023;164(5):1128–1137.