Stretching the internal rotation of your shoulder without help can be a problem. Most people suggest using a towel, golf club or some other item to drape over your shoulder and grasp behind your back. Then, you lift gently with one arm while pulling the other arm upwards behind your back. This short video is a good demonstration of the “old” technique:

Internal Rotation: The New Approach = Multiple Stretches + Greater Versatility

After the responses that we received from sports medicine professionals during the American College of Sports Medicine conference and athletic trainers during the National Athletic Trainers Association annual convention, Scott and I realized that our current video doesn’t showcase the all the benefits of the Rotater. Specifically, you can:

• stretch internal rotation in many positions
• duplicate internal rotation exercises that normally require assistance
• control the degree of each stretch
• achieve a “true” passive stretch (your injured arm does not grasp anything, avoiding the introduction of unnecessary resistance)

Here is our newest video demonstrating the variety of ways the Rotater can be used to stretch internal rotation.

Which one would you prefer - the “old” towel or the new Rotater?

Golf Today magazine has been keeping the golfer informed for twenty one years.  Scott and I had the pleasure to meet Bob Koczor the publisher/owner or Golf Today magazine during the fall PGA expo held in Las Vegas this past September.

We were riding the elevator to our twelfth floor room, when the gentleman in the elevator with us introduced himself (as Bob Koczor, the owner of Golf Today magazine) and asked about the shoulder device that we were caring.  He was very interested in hearing all about the Rotater and promised to come by our booth the following day to try the Rotater for himself. 

Bob came by our booth the following day and not only tried the Rotater, but took one with him for further testing and evaluation.

Orlando PGA Expo is huge!

Due to the strong reception that the Rotater received from the golf professionals who attended the Vegas show, we decided that we would take the “big leap” and go to Orlando for the “big” PGA expo.  Big is not really the correct word.  This event is huge beyond our imagining.  

When the doors opened, Bob Koczor was the first person to come by our booth.  He had seen Scott in the entrance area and made it a point to come by and speak with us about the Rotater.  He also told us that he would be publishing an article about the Rotater.

 The Rotater is noted in Golf Today Magazine

(this photo demonstrates how to use the Rotater to stretch external rotation)

If you haven’t seen Golf Today Magazine, then you have missed an online resource that offers in depth information at a price you can afford – free!  In addition to that, there are a number of blogs associated with the web site that keep you up-to-date with what’s going on in the golf world – today.

What I really like is the way that they present their digital version of the Golf Today Magazine.  Yes, that’s right.  You can read the magazine online.  And it’s in a real page flipping style – just like hard copy. 

Some excerpts from Golf Today magazine about the Rotater

The following excerpts are taken from the article that appeared in the February edition of Golf Today magazine.  This link will take you to the page 55 where you can read the entire article (you may have to use the zoom function).

“…I tried the sample they provided and, at first felt muscles and ligaments and whatever keeps me glued together that I had not felt since my 3 – hour Thai Massage about five years ago.”

“The Rotater provides Internal and External Rotation for one’s arms and shoulders which, in turn, results in stretching exercises that are key to good golf.”

“The Rotater allows you to get your body fluid enough to do those things and the results are outstanding.”

Visit our web-site to see if the Rotater can help you.

The Rotater was a big hit

Scott and I stayed extremely busy demonstrating the Rotater and allowing physical therapists, PT students, teaching professors, athletic trainers, orthopedic surgeons and others to try the Rotater for themselves. The Rotater was well received, which resulted in numerous sales and an even greater number of contacts.

A True Expert Evaluates the Rotater

Among the people that stopped by our booth was Julie Barnett. Julie has a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy, is the Director of Physical Therapy for Annette M. Zaharoff MD and is a member of the Adjunct Faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center, Physical Therapy Department.

In late August, we shipped a Rotater to Julie for her professional evaluation in clinical use with real patients. I received the following email from her a couple of days ago.

The Observations of a Shoulder Rehabilitation Expert

Chris,
Thanks for following up with our clinic. We are off to a fast pace already for ‘08 which is great. Here is more feedback on our experience with The Rotator:

The best feature I like is the isolated external rotation passive stretch for our adhesive capsulitis patients. The movements are slow, controlled and specific unlike other alternatives.

I did look on line to see the padding which would be helpful to use. The tubing I do not feel that we need.

One of our patients who had used the Dynasplint passive mobilization system through another facility liked The Rotator better. He also felt the positioning and amount of stretch was more controlled with The Rotator.

My recommendation is that outpatient orthopedic clinics should have the Rotator as an everyday tool for restricted shoulders just as they would have a set of pulleys and arm bike. I believe it will remain as a main stay tool for shoulder rehabilitation in our profession.

The other uses are widespread throughout other fields of PT such as post mascectomy or other neurological conditions. I feel most competent to address the outpatient orthopedic arena. I plan to introduce the Rotator to our physical therapy students in the University of Texas Health Science Center Allied Health program in San Antonio as well.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the feedback for development of your practical tool. Feel free to use these comments in your materials and send a copy to me afterwards, if possible.

Julie Barnett PT, DPT, MTC
Director of Physical Therapy for
Annette M. Zaharoff MD
Adjunct Faculty UTHSC PT Dept
San Antonio, Texas

I had transferred to this high school during my senior year simply to play baseball at a well known school and enhance my chances of receiving scholarship offers. Prior to this time, I had no idea that there were high schools that took their athletic programs so seriously ( this was in the late 70”s ). The school that I had come from didn’t have any “certified” trainers, much less ones to rub down each pitcher’s arm before and after practice. I was in heaven.

Lack of feedback is a problem

One of the few problems of having someone else to stretch you is the lack of instant feedback. The trainer is limited because he/she cannot “feel” what the athlete is feeling and must be very aware of the person that he/she is stretching in order to gage the degree and effectiveness of the stretch. This is where having the Rotater can help.

Strict form + good hands = effective stretch

Using the Rotater allows you to control the intensity of the stretch while maintaining strict and correct form. This way, you know when you are “doing some good”, while at the same time, you have full confidence that you are in good hands – your own.

The Rotater provides you with the ability to increase your range of motion by stretching your shoulder internally and externally. It is simply the best tool for the job.

RELATED TOPICS:

• Watch the Rotater video
• Read what others are saying about the Rotater
• Get the Shoulder Performance & Rehab feed
• Get Shoulder Performance & Rehab delivered to your email

At first glance, therapists, athletic trainers, athletes and educators are intrigued by the simplistic design of the Rotater. After watching us do a demonstration of the Rotater’s benefits, which includes allowing a patient to self-stretch their shoulder both internally and externally, most viewers want to try it. Some of the comments we hear are:

• this (the Rotater) is ingenious.
• how functional.
• I can’t believe how well it (the Rotater) provides an optimal stretch.
• it’s unbelievable.
• how can I get one?
• this is the best way to effectively stretch the shoulder internally and externally without assistance.
• where can my patients get one?

If you have shoulder problems, then you need to take a look at how the Rotater works and see how it can benefit you.

We saw and tried two really great products at the conference.

1. DEEP OSCILLATION by the HIVAMAT 200

Tamara Copes (MS, ATC) and Duane and Bethany Griffith manned the PHYSIOMED of North America booth, which was right next to our booth. Their product (the HIVAMAT 200) is being used by a tremendous number of college and professional sports teams as part of their treatment program for injuries.

Take a look at their testimonials. After reading these testimonials, it was very easy for me to see why their booth stayed so busy doing demonstrations. Those who allowed themselves to try the HIVAMAT 200 did not seem to want to leave. It seemed obvious that they were enjoying the results that they were receiving.

Tamara, Duane and Bethany are extremely knowledgeable of their product and they demonstrated their knowledge over and over as people came by their booth to both try out the HIVAMAT 200, ask questions and get information to take home to study.

One final note: PHYSIOMED has just recently unveiled a home version of their DEEP OSCILLATION device.

Visit their web sites and see the science behind the product. You will be as impressed as we were.

2. The Fitness Balloon (A Manual for Exercise)

Jane Davis (PT) is an exuberant woman with a passion for helping her physical therapy patients. It is because of her passion that Jane has developed an exercise regimen that uses a heavy duty balloon to provide the variable resistance needed in a strengthening program.

Her program is wonderful. It does not use heavy, intimidating weights which can be a real turnoff for some people. Instead, she provides a heavy-duty balloon, which is easy to use (as explained in her book), is very forgiving and is a lot of fun. Her program is easy to understand and provides pictures and explanations of all the exercises.

Can you benefit from using The Fitness Balloon? I think that most people will benefit, but if you have questions, then visit Jane�s web site. She has a list of frequently asked questions that may help you decide.

Justin Spooner received his Rotater at the APTA conference in Denver and writes:

Hi, I am Justin Spooner ,MSPT, I want say that using the “Rotater” on a regular basis has had a positive effect for many of my shoulder patients I see from S/P RTC Repair Surgery to Adhesive Capsulitis. It is much more effective than the old doorway and towel stretches plus patient’s seem to be more motivated to do it at home than giving them these stretches. It does a better job at isolating than anything I have come across and when it comes to shoulder impingement, etc, having good ER/IR is huge and very well could mean the difference in having surgery or not.

Denver APTA conference: scary & exhilarating

It was scary because this was our first really big convention. The experience was exhilarating because we knew that our product - the Rotater, was going to change the way people think about stretching their shoulder’s internal and external rotation.

Fantastic people and the “aha” moment

We met some really fantastic people in Denver. Signing in at the convention center was a breeze. Dave, Elizabeth and others made us (we’re down-home southern boys) feel right at home and literally walked us through the complete process. While there, we met some other exhibitors who took the time to explain how things were done, what to expect, who we needed to meet and give us some great advice. My thanks go out to:

• Sherry Fox - www.biocaresystems.com
• Vivian Dail - www.associatedtherapy.com
• Brice York - www.yorkresources.com
• Kevin Rausch - www.homeprograms.net
• Dave Baruch - www.isosoftware.biz
• Dan Hennessy - www.theracane.com
• Mike Seidenman - www.thera-band.com
• Frank Finach
• Dr. Rockey Poeta IV - www.therabean.com
• Brent Crangle - www.newreality.com

But without a doubt, the highlight for us, was watching many of the conference particapants experience the “aha” moment when they tried the Rotater for themselves. There’s nothing to compare it to.

Strolling questions

Typically, the conference attendees would stroll around the exhibitors booths during their breaks and after formal classes and seminars had ended. As they passed by our booth, they would look at the Rotater display, then they would stop to gather some of our literature, take a second look at the Rotater and then ask:

1. What is it?
2. What does it do?
3. How does it work?
4. Who is it for?
5. Would you demonstrate it?
6. Can I try it?

What is it?

It is a shoulder rehabilitation device invented by Scott Kay and called the Rotater.

What does the Rotater do?

The Rotater provides a way for a patient or an athlete to effectively, effeciently and passively self-stretch their shoulder with or without assistance. By using the Rotater at home, a patient can participate in and may accelerate their rehabilitation process.

How does the Rotater work?

The Rotater captures the elbow while at the same time positioning the arm in the proper orientation relative to the shoulder. This positioning of the arm and shoulder provides the optimal platform for correctly and effectively stretching the shoulder. External rotation, internal rotation and range of motion can all be increased by using the Rotater. See how this shoulder rehab device can help you.

Who can use the Rotater?

Initially, we knew that the Rotater would be great for almost anyone going through shoulder rehabilitation, but athletes have also discovered the benefits of using the Rotater to stretch their own shoulders. This stretching can be extemely effective for atheletes who participate in, baseball, softball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, golf, raquetball, weightlifting and any other sport where the shoulder should be stretched and warmed-up prior to or following competition or practice.

To quote one golf expert, “It’s the two minute solution to power, flexibility and distance for golfers.”

Would you demonstrate the Rotater?

Because of the Rotater’s basic and simple design (it has no moving parts), people tend to discount it’s effectiveness. However, upon viewing a demonstration, most observers begin to see a hint of the Rotater’s potential and this inspires them to ask:

Can I try the Rotater?

The initial setup for stretching the shoulder externally takes only seconds. At this point, the person who is trying the Rotater takes over and begins to apply self-controlled force to their own shoulders. Phrases like:

• “This is great”
• “Wonderful”
• “I can’t believe how well this works”
• “This is amazing”

…soon follow.

Then, they want to try the Rotater for stretching the shoulder internally. Because of the difficulty (prior to the Rotater) in effectively stretching the shoulder internally, most people (ie, therapists, trainers, physicians and surgeons) are skeptical of the Rotater’s claim. This skepticism does not last long.

Again, the setup for stretching the shoulder internally takes only seconds and the pseudo-patient is applying self-controlled force to their own shoulders, internally.

Because of the fact that in the past, the only way “effectively” stretch internally involved a therapist’s help, most people are caught off guard when they feel how easily and efficiently their shoulder is being stretched and the “aha” moment occurs.

In Denver, we saw it over and over again. Everywhere we go, physical therapists, doctors, surgeons, athletic trainers and athletes are experiencing the “aha” moment. It is pure joy to watch.

RELATED TOPICS:

• See the Rotater in action
  
• Read what others are saying about the Rotater
• Get the Shoulder Performance & Rehab feed
• Get Shoulder Performance & Rehab delivered to you email

I race motorcycles and as a result, have had my share of broken bones, many of which required surgical repairs. I’ve come to know pain intimately. Some body parts are more painful when injured than others. Some body parts take longer to heal. From my experience, broken ribs are tops in the pain department, while shoulders take the longest to heal.

A long post-operative wait leads to lengthy rehabilitation

One of the reasons that post-operative shoulders take so long to heal is that there is a lengthy waiting period following surgery. You simply must wait for the shoulder to heal properly before you can begin rehabilitation. By contrast, after knee surgery, you can start rehab rather quickly. Although if you’ve had knee surgery, then you think that whenever rehab starts, it’s definitely way too soon. But after shoulder surgery, you wait and wait.

By the time you actually begin rehab, you have probably developed adhesive capsulitis, or as it is more commonly known - ‘frozen shoulder’. This limits the range of motion to the point that you can’t do most of the things that you normally take for granted. The things I noticed most were:

• shaving
• combing my hair
• tucking my shirt in
• putting on deodorant
• going to the bathroom.

Most prescriptions for physical therapy allow three visits to your therapist per week, with the ideal situation being that your scheduled visits are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

There were things that I could do at home that helped, during the non-rehab days. I had dumbbells, Thera Bands, and shoulder pulleys. I used all of these items to accelerate my rehabilitation. These products and devices all did what they were designed to do, but they do not address the issue of internal and external rotation. I was very limited as to how I could increase the internal rotation and external rotation of my shoulder.

I know for a fact that this (the inability to effectively self-stretch the shoulder’s internal rotation and external rotation) has been an issue for others as well as myself. This inability to effectively self-stretch the shoulder is one of the reasons that shoulders take so long to heal.

The Rotater: the revolutionary device that allows the patient to participate in their rehabilitation process

This is where the Rotater came into play. It allowed me to:

• passively stretch the internal rotation and external rotation of my shoulder
• stretch with or without the assistance of a therapist (during my “off” days)
• stretch in the comfort of my own home
• participate in the healing process

By using the Rotater, I put myself in a position, to assist my physical therapists with my recovery, resulting in a reduced recovery time. If internal and external rotation are a problem for you, check out the Rotater. You deserve the same benefits that I received.

Scott Kay
Joint Solutions LLC
www.therotater.com
skay@therotater.com

1. It is portable
2. It can be used by physical therapists
3. It can be used by the patient at home to supplement therapy
4. It is cost-effective
5. It positions the arm, shoulder complex in such a fashion at to maintain proper form
6. It can be used to extend the Range Of Motion of the shoulder joint
7. It can be set up and used as a strengthening device
8. It can stretch the shoulder rotation, both internally or externally
9. It can be used to stretch and warm-up healthy shoulders prior to and following physical exertion (golf, baseball, swimming, etc)
10. It is efficient, comfortable and easy to do

Hey, I’m sold on it, but there is still a certain degree of satisfaction felt when you receive a testimonial letter. We received the following testimonials recently.

“My name is JoAnn Melton. My age is 66 years old and I have had both shoulders operated on in my life. The first shoulder surgery was in 1993 and the second was in 1997. Both surgeries were due to falls and I have limited use, especially with any weight, for the past 10 years. Doing my hair, getting dressed, and playing or picking up my grandchildren is more than I can handle by myself most of the time. With some effort I can normally raise my arms only about chest level and I am out of breath after that.

I have tried this product for 5 weeks twice a day or more. It has made immeasurable improvement with the movement in my arms and shoulders. I would recommend this product for anyone having problems with rotater cuff recovery and rehabilitation.”

Neither wording nor punctuation has been altered.

“Using the “Rotator” on a regular basis has had a positive effect on my recovery from adhesive capsulitis. It has allowed me to isolate and stretch the shoulder internal and external positions safely and effectively. Before I received my Rotator, I found myself neglecting my shoulder stretch do to the difficulty I had in finding and maintaining the correct shoulder position and applying just the right amount of stretch to have a positive effect. Because the Rotator is so simple and effective, I am more consistent with my stretching exercises and have been making great progress in my recovery. I’m going to include the “Rotator” as part of my regular flexibility program, even on my uninvolved should, long after my rehabilitation has been competed.”

Thanks,
Don Gronachan

Go to www.therotater.com and see it for yourself. I’m sure that more testimonials will follow.