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?

Smoltz believes rehab will start soon – by Mark Bowman

Smotz, who went on the disabled list on April 26^th due to inflammation of his rotator cuff and biceps tendon plans to throw from the mound for the first time this Saturday. read Mark Bowman’s article on MLB.com

Rangers’ Bradley out with a sore shoulder

Milton Bradley, the designated hitter for the Texas Rangers was pulled in the 7^th inning of Monday nights game with the Mariners due to a sore shoulder and probably will not return to the line up until Friday.

Prior takes step back in rehab – by Jon Greenburg

The latest on Mark Prior was that is that he was scheduled to undergo an MRI this past Monday to access the condition of his shoulder. Jon Greenburg reports that there is the possibility of a trip to Birmingham Alabama to see Dr. James Andrews, the prominent orthopedic surgeon who performed arthroscopic surgery on Mark in 2007. read Jon Greenburg’s article

Schilling throws from 60

Amalie Benjamin reported that Curt Schilling threw from 60 ft. this past Sunday (May 11th), though Andrew Johnson notes that Schilling “had a sizeable bag of ice” on his shoulder on Tuesday (May 13th).

Schilling’s last blog post entitled Getting the ‘go ahead’ which he posted on May 6^th seemed guarded. Schilling said that he feels healthy and confident, but the “doing it” still had to be done. Personally, I hope he “does it”.

Posada rehabbing in Tampa with Alex Rodriguez

Yankee catcher, Jorge Posada is in Tampa at the Yankee training facility where he played catch this past Monday while rehabbing his inflamed rotator cuff. Tyler Kepner reports that he will be out until at least early June.

Frozen Shoulder – What’s the 411?

(photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik)

Lauran Neergaard an AP medical writer has written an article entitled “Early Care Helps Frozen Shoulder” in which she illustrates some of the mysteries surrounding frozen shoulder.

• Why doesn’t adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) affect the same shoulder twice?
• Why does frozen shoulder occur most often in women?
• Why does frozen shoulder sometimes migrate to the other shoulder?

Please note the title of Lauran’s article – Early Care Helps Frozen Shoulder. If you’re having shoulder issues and you fit the demographics outlined in the article and you don’t remember injuring your shoulder, then don’t waste any time - see your physician immediately.

Basic Shoulder Rehabilitation

Mednets has produced a basic, but thorough Patient Information Guide to Shoulder Rehabilitation with real pictures of shoulder rehab exercises (not drawings) and clear, understandable instructions that describe how the various exercises are to be performed.

It’s not flashy. It’s not high-tech. All of the exercises can be performed at home with items that you already have or can easily acquire.

What is a Rotator Cuff Injury?

Ask almost anyone this question and you’re likely to get a wide variety of vague answers. So what is a rotator cuff injury? Here is a very short (about 45 seconds) and very basic video animation that does a very good job of illustrating and explaining the injury. I must warn you that you will have to sit through a short commercial (about 30 seconds) at the beginning.

Shoulder Rehab for Baseball Pitchers

(photo courtesy of Glover Bryant Communications)

Kris Bensen, a starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, has written an article – Shoulder Rehab: A Shoulder Rehab Throwing Program For Baseball Pitchers. Kris describes a progressive throwing program designed to rehab a pitcher’s shoulder while rebuilding his arm strength.

Shoulder Strength and Stabilization

(photo courtesy of Cronfeld)

Mark Dilworth, a certified fitness trainer, former NCAA division I athlete and creator of My Fitness Hut Blog wrote an article entitled “Strengthen and Stabilize Your Shoulder Girdle”.

Mark explains three of the most common shoulder injuries (frozen shoulder, shoulder tendonitis and rotator cuff injury) and some of the steps that you can take during your training to avoid them.

It’s springtime.  The days are longer.  The sun is brighter.  And the world is becoming more alive all around us.  Makes me want to get physical and start teaching my girls how to throw a softball (or baseball), ride our mountain bikes and horses. 

(photo courtesy of foxypar4)

The problem is that although my mind is willing, my body may not be ready – (No! – that is not me in the photo). 

How to avoid stupid injuries

What else would you call them?  I mean, once you hit middle age it’s time to do a little prep work before you do something stupid.  Bruce Mandelbaum (a frequent guest on “The View” and “The Today Show”) wrote an outstanding “get ready for physical activity” article entitled Spring into Spring (but not too hard): A Guide to Avoiding Injuries. 

It’s all about using common sense.  You didn’t get out of shape in a couple of days and your shoulder won’t be ready to throw a fast ball (hard or soft) in a couple of days either.  Take it slow and warmup.  Your kids may make fun of you and be a little restless, but that’s a small price to pay for a pain free shoulder.

How long should you wait to train following a Shoulder Separation?

For me, it was a long time before I went back to hitting the iron.  There are all sorts of issues to deal with.  Some physical and some mental.  You don’t want to start too soon and destroy your orthopedic surgeon’s hard work.  But for a physical person it’s hard to get out of the habit of being physical. 

Dave Draper, the bodybuilding legend was asked a similar question on his web site – davedraper.com.  His advice on this topic it great, but I really love his closing quotes:

“Overall training will bring you back to full power and speed in time. Injury and recovery have a weird way of complementing the musclebuilder….Confidence will grow with exercise-injury understanding and muscle strength and shoulder health.”

The Effect of Ergonomics on Shoulder Pain

It’s no longer a secret – you should be somewhat comfortable when you work.  Now the words “work” and “comfort” are seldom used in the same sentence, but for a person who spends a great deal of their time working from a desk, this concept is important. 

I have been sitting in what I thought was a comfortable chair – but I’m not comfortable.  My shoulders and neck ache and my arms hurt.  After watching the video below that I found in an article posted by Dr. Edward Gould entitled “Pain at Work”, I think there may be a better way. 

Watch this video – I’ll be looking for the Freedom Chair and accessories.

Am I going to lose my thumb?

I can remember wondering if I was going to lose my thumb after my tablesaw accident. And then the surgeon was very clear that he had his doubts about whether he could repair the damage. I was scared - fortunately, I have full use of my thumb today. It’s shaped a little different and has no feeling, but it works just fine.

My physical therapists were great. They took the time to explain every move, procedure and exercise. They were constantly reminding me to hold back and wait for the repaired tendons and skin to heal.

Inspiring Physical Therapy

Usually, physical therapy means recovering the full use and mobility of our injured body part so that we can return to work or function better at home. But sometimes physical therapy means more…

Sometimes physical therapy does more than help a person recover – it gives them something that they’ve never had before:

• the freedom of mobility
• the opportunity to play like and with other children
• self-confidence and a sense of belonging

Euro-Peds: creative physical therapy

The following video demonstrates how great an impact Euro-Peds is having on children with cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular disorders.

Physical rehabilitation is tough

Anyone who has ever had to go through physical rehabilitation knows and understands that their will be pain involved.

• Your joints will have become stiff and swollen
• Your muscles will have atrophied and become weak
• You are constantly battling the doubts that you can return to your former activities and level of performance

Physical conditioning is hard

As a whole, our planet is in a full scale battle with obesity. Most people prefer not to be obese and in fact, would rather be athletic and trim. The problem is that conditioning is hard.

• It�s difficult to get out of bed in the morning and perform 30 � 45 minutes of cardio
• It�s a pain in the ass to keep up with a gym bag and all the assorted gym stuff
• It consumes precious time
• Eating a diet that is nutritious, healthy and tasty requires additional planning and preparing
• It can be expensive in either gym fees or gym equipment (if you have the space)

Strength training is a battle

As we age, muscle becomes more difficult to maintain, while our fat stores increase with every extra bite

• Lifts and poundages that we did with ease ten years ago are now our max
• Steroid use and abuse seems to be the norm

(photos are used courtesy of otisarchives2, organic.matter and ericmcgregor)

Have we all become a bunch of crying and whining sissies?

Watch this incredible video of a high school wrestlers as he trains, then get rid of every excuse you�ve got, suck it up and get busy.

It has been a few months since I met the Rotater gang at the APTA conference in Denver, CO. I was quite intrigued with their product, and purchased one for use in my clinic. Since then, the Rotater has been used daily and I am in need of a new one or three.

The Rotater itself has proved invaluable to my patients� shoulders and their subsequent recovery. It has been used for a variety of overuse, sports, orthopedic, and post-surgical conditions to date, and on a large group of patients as well. Everyone from grandma with adhesive capsulitis to the major league baseball pitcher has reaped its benefits, and I look forward to many more.

In fact, I am currently planning a youth baseball camp for the little leagues in my area. I plan on performing mechanical examinations and coaching; rotator cuff, scapular, and core strengthening; and shoulder stretching (with the Rotater of course). I�ll keep you guys updated with the progress on the camp.

In summary, great job guys! I truly appreciate your ingenuity in creating the Rotater. It has been a great addition to my clinic. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,

Kevin Rausch, MPT, CSCS
Rausch Physical Therapy, INC.
www.rauschpt.net

We met Kevin Rausch in August of 2007 at the American Physical Therapy Association�s annual convention. Kevin was introducing a revolutionary rehabilitation service that combines the convenience of a menu of internet based rehabilitation exercises with the expertise of member physical therapists.

An idea that is grabbing the attention of the press

Kevin�s internet based exercise program has caught the attention of Physical Therapy Products magazine, where his program has been featured a number of times.

Products on the Market ( Oct 2007 ) � a section of Physical Therapy Products magazine that features new and innovative products for the physical therapist. Scroll down to �Web-based Exercise Programs�

Soap Notes ( Dec 2007) � Physical therapy products.

Fitness Focus ( Jan 2008 ) � an article by Alan Ruskin entitled �Exercise Software�.

Visit Home Programs.net to find out if Kevin 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

Because of my racing (really it�s due to crashes while racing), I have broken a lot of bones, including three shoulders. It has been my experience that shoulder injuries take the longest to heal and rehabilitate.

If you experience a shoulder injury, then pain and discomfort will be unavoidable on your journey to full mobility, strength and function of your shoulder.

Your physical therapist is your friend

Your physical therapist is your friend. It has been my experience that some of the exercises and tasks that they will perform don�t make them appear friendly, but they are genuinely trying to help you. My therapists at Total Rehab in Auburn Alabama, were acutely tuned to my pain tolerance. This is a necessity. In order for you to regain full function, your physical therapy will be aggressive, but your willingness and your pain tolerance will be two of the determining factors in your progression.

Research is necessary for understanding

I didn�t understand how long the process could take, so I started doing some research into shoulder injuries, shoulder surgery and shoulder rehabilitation. This helped me to have a better understanding and allowed me to communicate intelligently with both my orthopedic surgeon (Dr. Raymond Godsil, Auburn Orthopedic Clinic) and my physical therapists (Ty Garner, Tom Evans and Dr. John Mann).

It is my opinion that anyone who experiences an injury should do as much research as possible. This is so that you can be educated about the pain, rehabilitation process, possibility of future complications and the pros and cons of surgical and non-surgical management. People should always be open and honest with their doctors and therapists. Ask questions until you feel that you have a comfortable understanding of the situation and all that is involved.

DO:

• research your injury
• research treatments for that injury
• research your options (there are always options)
• research the rehabilitation process
• seek professional attention and assistance
• ask question (lots of questions � make sure that you understand everything)
• communicate openly with all doctors, therapists and athletic trainers
• ask about exercises that you can perform at home
• ask if there is anything that you can do to expedite the rehabilitation process
• be patient
• ask about exercises that can help prevent future injuries

DON�T:

• argue with medical professionals
• hesitate to seek a second or third opinion
• pretend that you are better if you aren�t
• skip treatments or appointments
• attempt to do any exercises or tasks without consulting your doctors or therapists first
• expect miracles

Knowledge is power

Education and knowledge are a powerful asset when you are suffering from an injury. Gain as much information as you can, so that you can communicate with the medical professionals about your injury and rehab process. This may also give you greater peace of mind and reduce any apprehension that you may be experiencing.

Lack of knowledge can induce undue stress and worry. Gain the understanding and comfort that you deserve.

• push
• pull
• reach overhead
• lift
• carry
• swing a baseball bat or tennis racket
• swim
• drive a nail
• serve or spike a volleyball
• throw a baseball, softball, football, javelin or anything else
• do a bench press, shoulder press or chin-up

�your shoulder is being called on to �carry� the load. Injuries abound. I�ve experienced everything from a torn rotater cuff to a full-blown separation requiring extensive surgery. As a person who has spent most of his life involved in athletics, I was thrilled when Scott Kay first described his invention to me.

Simple is best

Scott has the ability to get outside the box and view things in their simplest terms. He has invented and improved a number of different devices, but the Rotater is the one that I am most excited about.

This video was filmed during an interview for an article (Pair hope patients turn to ROTATER) that featured the Rotater and took place on December 4th at the Montgomery Advertiser offices in Montgomery Alabama. Click here to see Scott’S video and hear his passion as he explains the Rotater and its benefits.

Front Page News

On December 6^th, Scott and I were interviewed by Don Prater of the Auburn-Opelika News. Don had heard about two industrial mechanics who were receiving quite a bit of attention from physical therapists, athletic trainers and athletes due to a shoulder rehabilitation and stretching device that they had invented and were marketing.

We spent about an hour answering Don�s questions and taking a few pictures. At the conclusion, Don told us that the article would probably land in the �Lifestyle or Living� section of the Sunday paper.

We were completely (and happily) surprised to discover that we had been featured on the front page of Friday�s (Dec 7, 2007) edition of the Auburn-Opelika News. Read the article � Local inventor revolutionizes rehab

More to come

The Rotater has attracted the attention of several media outlets � from daily print to monthly magazines to television. Though simple in design, the Rotater is proving to everyone who uses it why it�s becoming so popular.