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Post tags: adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder, shoulder rehab, shoulder rehab information

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Here’s a video showing you how to strengthen your external rotator cuff muscles … specifically the infraspinatus and teres minor.  What do you need?

• a wall
• very, very light weight – lots of stuff you can find around the houes – small dumbbell, can of food…you get the idea
• good posture

More Shoulder Health Videos Featuring the Rotater

Readers of this article also liked:

• Rotator Cuff and Scapular Strengthening for Baseball and Softball
• Rotator Cuff Exercises You Can Do Almost Anywhere
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• Why Do I Have Shoulder Pain?
• Do you have a Rotator Cuff injury?

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Post tags: external rotation, rotator cuff, shoulder exercises, shoulder rehab, shoulder strength, the Rotater

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Last month, I posted an article – Shoulder Pain? Trigger Points … Aaargh! – and listed a couple of trigger point tools you could use at home.  Here are a couple more you will find helpful if you’re a “hands-on” kind of person.

The Grid:  Foam Roller

• It’s affordable – only $39.99
• It has Matrix & Distrodensity Zones – that means it has notches and knobs on it
• Get it at Trigger Point Performance Therapy

The Grid in action:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Rumble Roller

Okay…think a more radical version of the Grid.  Here’s a great explanation of how and why to use the Rumble Roller:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click “here” to find a Rumble Roller distributor near you.

FENIX Trigger Point Therapy

The FENIX Trigger Point Therapy tool is a little hard to describe.  Basically, it’s a piece of wood with holes that you place wooden pegs of various height into.  Here’s a video that will help:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Your Best Shoulder Tool

Good Information!!!  If you want to know more about the shoulder, then sign up and receive updates in your email or join our Facebook page.Readers of this article also liked:

• Shoulder Pain? Trigger Points … Aaargh!
• Self Myofascial Release for Shoulders
• 5 Shoulder Exercises to Prevent Shoulder Injuries
• Deep Massage for Shoulder Pain
• 3 Sources for Your Shoulder Health and Sanity

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Post tags: self-stretch, shoulder mobility, shoulder rehab, trigger point therapy

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Chronic shoulder pain!!  It just never seems to go away… the constant nagging … no relief … struggle!  What can you do?  We’ll that all depends on the kind of pain you’re having, but always see a doctor first.

New Research Points to Trigger Points as the Culprit

A recent study on myofascial trigger points in patients with chronic shoulder pain concluded – “comprehensive treatment of MTrPs in shoulder muscles reduces the number of muscles with active MTrPs and is effective in reducing symptoms and improving shoulder function in patients with chronic shoulder pain.”

What does that mean for your chronic shoulder pain?  You might want to check into Myofascial Trigger Points… here’s a video explanation:

Click here to view the embedded video.

National Association of Trigger Point Professionals

There’s an national organization, so if you want more information you should visit the National Association of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists website.

What Can You Do?

Believe it or not, this is something you can do … at home.  It’s called Self Myofascial Release and you should check it out.

The Theracane – Self Massage Tool

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s an Amazon link to Claire Davies book – The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief, mentioned in the video.

The Stick – website link

Click here to view the embedded video.

More Tools You Can Use At Home

There are more “self” myofascial release tools available … but we’ll save those for another day.  One thing you may not know is that you can receive email notification when we update Shoulder Rehab and Performance.  It’s simple … just “click” this link and sign up … oh, and we’ll never SPAM you or share your information.Readers of this article also liked:

• 3 More Trigger Point Tools for the Shoulder
• Deep Massage for Shoulder Pain
• Rotator Cuff Training Tools – the SpeedChain Approach
• Self Myofascial Release for Shoulders
• The Turkish Getup with a Medicine Ball for Shoulder Rehab

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Post tags: shoulder injury, shoulder pain, shoulder rehab device, trigger point therapy

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Shoulder Rehab / Prehab Tool – Muscle & Fitness Gear of the Month

Okay…so I’m a little late getting this posted.  The Rotater appeared in the April 2010 edition of Muscle and Fitness Magazine.  Muscle and Fitness has a section called “theEdge” and it’s dedicated to “cutting-edge science, training, nutrition and health”.

In “theEdge” section on page 40, the Rotater appeared as “Gear of the Month”.  Here’s a video of John Madden, of MaddenBaseball.com, former professional baseball pitcher,  finding the Rotater in Muscle and Fitness magazine.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Does the Rotater really increase shoulder mobility?  Here is a growing list of professionals who took the time to share their input.

Learn more about the Rotater shoulder rehab / prehab tool

Do you want to know more about the Rotater?  Then head on over to our sister website – theRotater.com and check out the reviews, testimonials and videos.Readers of this article also liked:

• How To: Shoulder Prehab
• The Rotater Shoulder Tool in Golf Today Magazine
• Golf Fitness: the magazine dedicated to helping your body reach it’s “A” game
• Shoulder device is in the headlines
• Rehab and Training – Are You a Quitter?

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Post tags: baseball, Golf, shoulder mobility, the Rotater

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Shoulder Performance & Rehab becomes Shoulder Rehab & Performance

If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you may have noticed the name has changed – okay, really it was just rearranged.  A couple of months ago, I installed a “plugin” to add some additional features to this blog.  That didn’t work out as I had planned – BUT – by the time I discovered the problem, nearly all of my Page and Post titles had been altered and caused a drastic drop in our Google ranking and and our blog traffic.

Since we had fallen off the map, so to speak, we thought it would be a good time to change the name.  Not a big change, but one that should help us in search rankings.

4 Powerful Rotater Reviews

Our shoulder rehab device – the Rotater – is receiving the attention of notable professionals in the fields of both shoulder rehabilitation and sports medicine / performance.

Patrick Ward - Sports Performance Coach and Licensed Massage Therapist

Who is Patrick Ward?

• he has a Masters Degree in Exercise Science
• he is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
• he is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
• he is a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) through National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
• he is a USA Weightlifting-Certified Club Coach
• he is also a licensed massage therapist in the State of Arizona
• he specializes in clinical, therapeutic and sports massage and is certified in Active Release Techniques (ART) for the Upper Extremity
• he is the Co-founder of Optimum Sports Performance

Patrick Ward had this to say in his Review of the Rotater:

The Rotater is versatile in that it allows the client to move in a variety of planes in order to obtain a stretch.  It is very comfortable to use and the 6-holes easily allow you to adjust the wrist strap or thera-tubing for any size arm.  Because of the design, clients can comfortably attain a stretch position and hold for extended period of time with ease.

and he closes with this final thought:

If you work with people who need help with either external or internal shoulder flexibility or strength, you may want to consider The Rotater for your clinic or gym.  Or, as a supplemental piece for the clients to keep at home as part of their self-care program.

Mike Young - Sports Medicine Professional

Who is Mike Young?

• he is the founder and owner of ELITETRACK
• he is the co-owner of Human Performance Consulting
• he is the coach of the HPC Elite Track Team
• he has an undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology
• he has a Master of Science degree in Athletic Administration
• he has a PhD in Biomechanics
• he has been on 6 NCAA National Championships staffs
• he is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
• he is a certified USA Weightlifting Club Coach

Mike Young recently wrote an article about the Rotater and Shoulder Injuries where he says:

It’s use is not super intuitive at first. I had to look at the pictures but when I did I was actually quite impressed with what you could do with it.

and…

…I think it’s one of the few products I think could be valuable for increasing the performance and decreasing the likelihood of injury in athletes that need to do high velocity, ballistic overhead movements.

he concludes with:

Disclaimer: The Rotater was sent to me for review and testing but they did not request any type of review or endorsement in return. I only wrote this review because I thought it might be useful for some of the overhead athletes on the site.

All Things Strength

Scott Bird is the owner of the website Straight To The Bar

Scott (and his father) recently reviewed the Rotater, here are their thoughts on the Rotater:

The Rotater is a brilliant thing.

Scott’s father tried the Rotater and says:

The results of my test of the Rotater are surprising, amazing, & in my case stimulating.

Scott’s closing remarks:

If you’ve ever experienced shoulder pain, you’ll understand just how frustrating it can be. Apart from the pain itself, it’s perhaps the fact that it prevents you from doing your normal exercise routine that’s the biggest source of aggravation.

In my case – and in my dad’s – The Rotater ended that frustration. An incredible feeling.

Donnie Kiernan of Combat Fitness Blog posted this video Review of the Rotater

Click here to view the embedded video.

I would like to thank Patrick Ward, Mike Young, Scott Bird and Donnie Keirnan for taking the time to express their thoughts about the Rotater.

Shoulder Info by the Load

Join our community on Facebook to get all the shoulder information you can stand…and still have more left-over.Readers of this article also liked:

• The Turkish Getup with a Medicine Ball for Shoulder Rehab
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Post tags: external rotation, internal rotation, shoulder exercises, shoulder injury, shoulder rehab, shoulder stretching, the Rotater, throwing

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Yes, it’s been a while since my last post.  So what’s going on?  Busy, busy, busy.

If you follow Shoulder Rehab & Performance, then you’re aware that we’re the same guys who manufacture and market the Rotater for shoulder rehab and improved shoulder range of motion / performance.  I use this blog to let people know:

• what’s new in the shoulder rehab world
• about recent studies on a variety of shoulder related issues
• of new shoulder training techniques and videos
• other miscellaneous and interesting shoulder stuff I find while rummaging the net

Sometimes we include News about the Rotater!

ShoulderCentric.co.uk – Exclusive Distributor of the Rotater in UK

ShoulderCentric.co.uk - the Exclusive Distributor for the Rotater in the UK

We’re thrilled to announce that Andrew and Pat Bellamy have become the exclusive distributor of the Rotater in the U.K.  Andrew Bellamy is an Osteopath, mountain biker and scuba diver.

Mountain Biking fall causes fracture & shoulder dislocation

Andrew contacted me during his shoulder rehab – he had fractured and dislocated his shoulder during a nasty fall while mountain biking.  He purchased a Rotater online and I expected that to be the “end of the story”.  Not so – Andrew has been so impressed with the progress he’s made since incorporating the Rotater into his shoulder rehabilitation program that he’s become the exclusive distributor of the Rotater in the U.K.

Here’s the story in Andrew’s own words:

“During the frustrating rehab from a fracture/dislocation of my shoulder after falling off my mountain bike, I came across The Rotater. I had already had successful surgery and great physiotherapy, (and I have been an Osteopath for over 20 years), but it was all going too slowly for me.

A Rotater arrived in the UK in quick time and immediately made a positive difference. If for no other reason, it put control of my problem in my hands. As a patient, I like that control – as an Osteopath, I can appreciate the mechanical and physiological advantages of the way The Rotater keeps the axis of shoulder rotation in line with the upper arm. This prevents ‘patient cheating’ by tilting the body or dropping the arm when doing shoulder exercises, a common problem for physical therapists to overcome everywhere.

It’s now 12 weeks since my surgery; I’ve been back at work full-time for the last 8 weeks, plus I’m back to the gym, off-road biking, (no falls yet), and SCUBA diving. I have a great Physio, but the answer so often is to take good advice and then motivate yourself – the Rotater gives you that choice.

Frankly, I don’t usually do testimonials, but I will be recommending this device to my patients as well as using it as a tool in my clinic.”

Andrew Bellamy, D.O. – England

Shoulder Rehab Patents in England – Contact ShoulderCentric.co.uk

We’ve sent a lot of Rotaters to shoulder rehab patients and athletes in England over the past 20 months – now you no longer have to wait 10 -14 days to receive your order.  Contact Andrew and Pat:

• online at www.ShoulderCentric.co.uk
• by telephone ( 01273 455775 )
• or drop by their clinic  at 10 Western Road, Shoreham, W Sussex, BN43 5WD.

I’m sure they’ll be happy to answer your questions and give you a demonstration of the Rotater.

Get all of our shoulder information updates sent to your email.  It’s simple to sign upReaders of this article also liked:

• Develop Shoulder Mobility with a Fit Ball
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• Age is number, not an excuse
• The beginning of Shoulder Performance & Rehab
• Shoulder Dislocation

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Post tags: distributor, shoulder rehab device, the Rotater

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During the holidays, we get to spend time with visiting relatives.  Often, it’s the only time we get to see them all year.  My sister always comes home to Alabama to visit our parents for Christmas.  During her stay this time, she asked me how the Rotater business was doing and was excited to hear that:

• 5 NFL teams are using the Rotater
• we just sent a large order to the US Navy SEALS
• we recently met Donald Trump

MRI Results – SLAP Tear!

Suzan (my sister) asked me what a SLAP tear was and if the Rotater would help her.  I had posted an article about SLAP tears back in September, so I pulled it up on the web and discovered the video I had posted was no longer available – it was a great video, too.  I have yet to find a suitable replacement.

SLAP Tear

Anyway, to make a long story shorter, Suzan had an MRI done just prior to coming home for Christmas and it revealed that she had a SLAP tear.  That doesn’t really surprise me.  She is a life-long athlete who went to college on a basketball scholarship, played competitive softball into her 30′s and has trained with weights for the last 20 years.

Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior Tear

- what does that mean?  If you’ll look at the picture to the above, you’ll see an image of a shoulder ( without the upper arm ).  The oblong structure labelled “GLENOID LIG.” is where the ball of your upper arm would be.  It is maintained in that position by the rotator cuff ( not shown ).

Notice the BICEPS ligament attaches at the top of and to the GLENOID LIG. A SLAP tear occurs when there is a separation of the GLENOID LIGAMENT in front of the BICEPS LIGAMENT (anterior) and behind the BICEPS LIGAMENT (posterior) – if you draw a line from one blue arrow to the other and imagine peeling the GLENOID LIGAMENT away from the bony structure of the GLENOID FOSSA, you would will have a SLAP tear.

Symptoms of a SLAP tear

• A dull throbbing ache in the joint.  This can be brought on by very strenuous exertion or simple household chores. Sufferers notice that they turn to ice packs more frequently for relief.
• Difficulty sleeping due to shoulder discomfort. The SLAP lesion decreases the stability of the joint which when combined with lying in bed causes the shoulder to drop. This in turn pulls on the muscles and ligaments causing discomfort.
• For an athlete involved in a throwing sport such as baseball, pain and a catching feeling are prevalent.
• Any applied force overhead or pushing directly into the shoulder can result in impingement and catching sensations.

Community of SLAP tear sufferers

slaptear.com is an interactive website that offers extensive and easy-to-understand information – usually from the patients point of view.  It’s worth a visit.

The Real Scientific Explanation of SLAP tears

Mike Reinold, PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS, is considered one of the top experts in the fields of physical rehabilitation and sports medicine.  Mike has written several very good articles about SLAP tears.  If you want the compete 411, then take a look at the following articles by Mike:

• What Exactly Is a SLAP Lesion? Top 5 Things You Need to Know About a Superior Labral Tear
• Mechanisms of Injury to the Superior Labrum

How to test for a SLAP tear – a video by Mike Reinold

Click here to view the embedded video.

Will the Rotater help if you have a SLAP tear?

The answer is a qualified no!  The tear must be surgically reattached and allowed to fuse / grow together.  However, after surgery and when you doctor releases you to begin physical therapy, then the Rotater can be instrumental in helping you to regain your range of motion.

Facebook for Shoulder Information

Join other people just like you … people who want to know the latest shoulder rehab and performance information.  Visit our Facebook page for the most current shoulder information and videos.Readers of this article also liked:

• SLAP Tear – Stretch Your Shoulder to Avoid this Painful Shoulder Injury
• How to Test Your Shoulder for a SLAP Tear
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• Shoulder Flexibility – How to Hit the Golf Ball Farther

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Post tags: physical therapy, shoulder, shoulder surgery, SLAP tear, the Rotater

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Cold or Heat for Shoulder Therapy

Back in the “old” days when I played high school baseball, I can remember coming home from practice and heading straight to the freezer.  That’s where I kept about 6 paper cups that I had put there the previous day.  I would tear tear the top half of the paper off (this left the bottom half for a semi-insulated handle) and begin to rub my shoulder with the now-hardened ice ( unless I could get my mom or one of my sisters to rub it for me ).

This worked well, but not without problems:

• it could get messy as the ice block thawed
• it often required help to reach those areas that I couldn’t reach
• you had to make sure that you put the cups filled with water in the freezer the night before

Elasto-Gel Shoulder Wrap to the rescue

Elasto-Gel is a self-contained shoulder wrap filled with a substance that retains either heat or cold.  In other words, it can be used as a heating pad for your shoulder or as ice therapy following a workout or shoulder injury.

Heat or Cold Therapy for Your Shoulder

Priced at $84.95 – it’ affordable, simple to use and not messy (it won’t leak!)

Shoulder Extension – Get a Shoulder Ladder!

Recently we received the following email about the Rotater:

“Saw your web page and am intrigued. I had shoulder surgery about three years ago to repair a thoroughly torn (180 degree tear) labrum and also have substantial wear and tear from calcified cartilage fragments (mostly in the humerus).

I am largely pain free, even when lifting weights, but my range of motion, as far as rotation and extension overhead, is substantially limited. In other words, I am only slight compromised on a bench press, more compromised on an incline press, and severely compromised on any upright press, as I am unable to extend my right arm fully overhead.

Will the rotater help this at all? I understand how it would help rotation, and I need that, but it would be nice to focus rehab on both rotation AND overhead extension.”

Scott Kay, the inventor of the Rotater answered as follows:

“I understand your situation. I also had extension and rotational limitations after surgery. Unfortunately, the Rotater will only benefit your internal and external rotation limits. But the extension should be easy.

I had a lot of success with shoulder pulleys. Also you can use a finger ladder or simply finger walk up the wall. Finger walk up a wall as far as you can and mark it. Do it several times each day and you will be surprised how quick you will increase you extension limits.”

Hausmann Shoulder Ladder

Hausmann Shoulder Ladder for increased shoulder extension and range of motion

The concept is a simple one:

• mount the Shoulder Ladder on a wall or other vertical surface
• reach up to the ladder with the hand of your compromised shoulder
• begin to use your fingers to “walk” up the ladder
• “walk” as high as your pain level will allow
• mark the height you reached and try to exceed that height with each following attempt

At a cost of $98.99, it’s kinda pricey.  You could always use a doorframe or the wall itself.  Please note that the steps do perform the function.  They allow your fingers to grip something which will make you less likely to slip when your shoulder begins to tire and hurt.

My Shoulder Extension Exercise

During my recovery from shoulder surgery, I used a similar method that involved a pool table.  Yea, I spent quite a bit of time drinking beer and shooting pool – back in “the day”.

Anyway, soon after (too soon, according to my doctor) my shoulder surgery, the call of pool tournaments and beer led me back to those places where both could be found.  Because I loved to shoot pool and compete, I devised an effective but slow method of extending my injured shoulder.  Here’s how:

• I would remove my injured arm/shoulder from the sling and in a fully erect posture, place my bridge hand (the hand of my injured shoulder)  on the pool table
• then I would slowly walk backward while bending at the waist
• I would stop when the pain exceeded my current beer level and perform my shot
• I then slowly walked back up to my hand and put it back into the sling

It is unconventional, but it worked for me.  Be sure to ask your doctor before trying this at home ( or a bar ).

The Ultimate Pitching, Throwing & Shoulder Exerciser?

The Finch Windmill

The Ultimate Pitching, Throwing & Shoulder Exerciser

Invented by Doug Finch, the father of renowned softball pitcher Jennie Finch, the Finch Windmill promises to:

• increase speed
• correct muscle imbalances
• rehabilitate a shoulder injury
• work in as little as 4 minutes a day

I’ve never used this product, but they do have some credibility – I mean his daughter has been using it since she was nine and look how good she is.  If that’s not enough for you, then check out this study done by Penn State.

Priced at $325.00 – it’s only about twice as much as a quality aluminum bat costs.

Bonus!!! One More Shoulder Rehab Tool

Shoulder information!!!  That’s right…information.  Stay informed by having Shoulder Rehab & Performance updates sent to your email.  When we post a new shoulder article, you will receive it in your email…NO SPAM, just shoulder information like you found here.Readers of this article also liked:

• A Shoulder Mobility Exercise You can do at Home
• How to Test Your Shoulder for a SLAP Tear
• Why Do I Have Shoulder Pain?
• SLAP Tear – Stretch Your Shoulder to Avoid this Painful Shoulder Injury
• SLAP Tear hits close to home

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Post tags: cold therapy, heat therapy, pitching, shoulder exercise, shoulder extension, shoulder ladder, shoulder rehab, throwing

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I’m sorry to say that B & A Sports Medicine Store is no longer in business.

Please visit our distributor page on theRotater.com to see if any of the organizations you work with carry the Rotater.

Please disregard the following article.

If you live in the Ohio area and have considered purchasing the Rotater, but have been hesitant because you like to “try before you buy”.  Wait no longer.

B & A Sports Medicine Store has the Rotater!

Lee Burkam, the owner of Burkam & Associates and B & A Sports Medicine Store is a board certified sports physical therapist, a certified athletic trainer and was recently named to the “Best in the US” list of the top 1% of physical therapists in the U.S.

Lee saw the crowds that gathered around the Rotater booth as they waited to try our shoulder rehab and stretching device during the American Physical Therapy Association’s combined sections conference earlier this year.  After doing a little research, Lee contacted us about distributing the Rotater for the state of Ohio.

Try the Rotater before you buy – if you live in Ohio (or close by)

If you want to try a new shoulder rehab device that has taken the shoulder rehab and athletic industry by storm, then visit:

• B&A Sports Medicine Store
• 837 Bethel Road
• Columbus, OH, 43214

For directions call:  614-326-1490

Hours:
Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET

More Shoulder News Soon – Powerlifting Store now Sells the Rotater

Stay tuned – another big announcement from a “Mega” online powerlifting store.Readers of this article also liked:

• Shoulder Rehab Tool Celebrates a Great First Year
• Shoulder Rehab Device heads to Indianapolis
• Four Rotater Reviews and a New Name
• Shoulder Rehab Protocol – What is it?
• Internal Rotation – The New and Improved Approach for Shoulder Rehab

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Post tags: APTA, physical therapy, shoulder rehab, the Rotater

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