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?

Does Tiger’s swing resemble your swing?  Do you get a “big” shoulder turn?  Probably not and it could be for a variety of reasons.  Here is what one golfer told us in an email that we received recently:

“To: The Rotator Guy

You sure should be proud of your “Rotater” invention.  Ever since the PGA Show when you introduced me to the “Rotater”, I have been using it daily.  The results for me have been outstanding.

Previously I was very restricted in my shoulder flexibility and add a touch of bursitis to the equation and you get a very short backswing.  After my “Rotater” program started, I experienced significant improvement in my shoulder movement and now I can actually get a full shoulder turn (without pain).

I cannot wait to get to the course once the weather warms up so I can “wow” my buddies.

Ed Wallace
(a very happy customer)”

Discover how the Rotater can help you.

What did surprise me was that this man claimed to have developed a shoulder impingement due to his extensive use of a mouse while working at his computer. I had never heard of such a thing, but after a little research, I am convinced that this is a condition can affect anyone who spends a considerable amount of time using their computer.

Here are some resources that will help you if you use the computer extensively:

1. Injury Prevention

Lauren, a personal trainer has written a broad article entitled “Injury Prevention: The Ultimate Checklist” that is a common-sense approach to avoiding injuries. But her post “Pain at the Desk? Ditch the Bench” explains what your body goes through everyday as you sit at your desk. I’m feeling that rounded-shoulder, stressed-out feeling right now.

2. Listen to the ergonomic experts

They are experts for a reason – they study repetitive motion and the resulting injuries. Cornell University has released an article cataloging ways for you to avoid mouse related injuries – “10 tips for Mouse Use”.

3. Tools to help

Check out the Mouse Arm, a device that you can attach to your office chair to put yourself in a more ergonomically-correct position.

4. Are you at risk?

Ergocise.com says:

“…People who practice poor posture at the computer (sitting with rounded shoulders pinches the tendons that run through the shoulder region), swimmers, window washers, waiters, painters or anyone else who performs activities involving reaching over the head are also susceptible to Shoulder Impingement Syndrome.”

Ergocise.com is a free program that you can access via the internet and designed especially for computer users. Take a look at their program. What do you have to lose except a little pain in the neck..and back… and shoulder. You get the point.

(photo used courtesy of David Niblack)

The Rotater, a shoulder rehabilitation and stretching device was featured on the front page of the Birmingham News’ weekly health section this past Monday (February 11), in an article entitled “Industrial mechanic invents tool to improve shoulder mobility, finds niche in athletics”.

A couple of excerpts

“The device is very, very good,” said Ty Garner, a physical therapist and part owner of Total Rehab. “I still support him 100 percent. You can show it to any therapist out there, and they’ll say, `Wow.’”

“I use it daily,” said O’Tyrrell, who said he has not been paid for his endorsement. “It allows me to make a full turn, which allows me to really cream the ball.” – Read the Rest

The Rotater is in Boston

Scott Kay has taken the Rotater on the road once again. The National Golf Expo is being held today through Sunday at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.

This will be the first time that the Rotater has been made available directly to the golf consumer. If you are able to attend the show, then I urge you to stop by the Rotater booth to see Eric Sanders or Scott Kay and give the Rotater a try for yourself. Feel the incredible stretch and discover why the PGA professionals are excited about this unique shoulder stretching and flexibility tool.

(photo is courtesy of David Niblack)

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 Golf Industry was not the initial market for the Rotater

The Rotater was initially developed to aid post-surgical patients as a means of supplementing their physical therapy.  Scott had used his prototype to accelerate his rehab process, so we naturally assumed that physical therapists would be our strongest market.

And we have been right to a strong degree.  We have received a number of great testimonials from physical therapists who have tested the Rotater and are using it with their patients:

• Shoulder Rehab expert recommends the Rotater!
• Another Physical Therapist endorses the Rotater
• Physical Therapist uses the Rotater with his Patients

Athletes have discovered the Rotater

In Daytona, at the Florida Physical Therapy Association’s annual conference, we met Tamara Copes.  Tamara is a former collegiate athletic trainer who immediately recognized the benefits that the Rotater offers to both athletes and athletic trainers.  This led us to attend the fall PGA expo in Las Vegas, where the Rotater was introduced to the golf community. 

Golfers embrace the Rotater

Watch this video and discover how the Rotater has impacted these golf professionals.

Special thanks to:

• Michael (Big Styxx) Ruston – www.bigstyxxgolf.com – Michael has a personal best long drive of 431 yards!
• Gary Schatz – www.1StopForGolf.com and www.1StopForGolfProducts.com
• Dusty O’Tyrrell – senior professional – www.golfix.us
• Bob Orr – Senior long drive contestand and long drive consultant
• Derek Highley – PGA teaching professional, expert in Human Kinesiology – www.globalgolfmarketing.com
• Todd O’Reilly – CPGA teaching professional – www.morningstar.bc.ca

Scott: (Scott Kay, inventor of the Rotater)

I’ve been using the Rotater every second day and use it while warming up before a round.

I’ve been in AZ for the past month and had an interesting experience. It was a long par 4, 485 yds. I hit driver - lob wedge. Usually I would have driver - 5 or 6 iron.

So the Range of motion increase and the flexibility was noticeable to me. I’ve also had less soreness in the shoulder where my old football shoulder separation was.

It seems that the Rotater is helping breakdown the scar tissue that gave the shoulder some of its stiffness and pain.

Bob Orr, Long Drive Consultant

How can the Rotater help you?

The Rotater can:

• increase your shoulder flexibility
• provide you with greater range of motion – which results in a greater turn
• give you the ability to self-stretch
• put you in control of the degree and intensity of the stretch
• go anywhere, it is portable – many golfers leave it in the trunk of their car and use it just prior to entering the clubhouse

485 yards with a driver and a lob wedge!

Now that’s a long way to hit the golf ball. But he is a big guy, a long drive consultant…and he uses the Rotater!

Do you strike the ball with power and authority? Give the Rotater a try - feel the difference. Develop a smooth fluid turn and get rid of the short, choppy swing that’s limiting your potential.

In September, Scott and I went to the PGA expo in Las Vegas. The PGA expo is an event that brings professionals from the golf world (course owners/managers, teaching professionals, golf shop owners, sponsored professionals, golf publication editors/owners/writers, etc.) in contact with vendors and suppliers of golf-related products and services. These events are not open to the public.

LOT OF INTERESTING PEOPLE

Scott and I have quite a bit of fun at trade shows. We are both “people” people, so it is very easy for us to meet and interact with others while demonstrating the Rotater. For us, a PGA show had been the last venue that we thought would use or benefit from the Rotater. Boy, were we wrong!

We met a number of interesting people there:

• a former amateur winner of the U.S. Open – he uses the Rotater daily
• a long drive champion – another avid user (look for a testimonial soon)
• magazine owners/writers/editors – we have done an interview for one publication set to be released in the spring
• a television show host – who has contacted us about appearing on his show this spring
• PGA teaching professionals

SENIOR PROFESSIONAL GIVES TESTIMONIAL

One of the golfing professionals who tried the Rotater and immediately recognized its benefits was Dusty O’Tyrrell. He has contacted us a number of times and has told us that he has developed some golf-specific exercises with the Rotater. The following is an email that we received from Dusty yesterday.

Hey Rotater Guys,

Just a quick note to tell you about how this thing has worked out for me. As I told you a while back, my right shoulder rotator cuff and shoulder joint were injured in a fall from a chair that had broken. After checking into the surgery aspect I found out that doing surgery was completely out of the question.

So, its into physical therapy and other exercise stuff to get this thing to heal. My Doc had told me that with proper therapies, I would likely heal well in a three to four year period. Why so long you did not ask? Because as a professional golfer, the use of this shoulder is paramount to my making a living. I must play and practice every day. It’s my JOB! And it ain’t that glorious either. It’s a JOB. Hot, sweaty and physically draining. It’s supposed to be mentally draining as well but I’m not very mental. And to think, I gave up an office job for this!

Well anyway, I met you guys and the Rotater and this little beauty has become my three to four times a day shoulder exercise device. My range of motion has improved immensely and I use it on both shoulders, even though only the right one was injured. My Doc loves this thing because it causes the shoulder to move correctly in the directions necessary for the correct exercises. I am now back to playing (and note: the fellows who had surgery NO LONGER PLAY and are on restricted cortisone use!) and my strength and stuff is just as it should be.

As I’ve told you, I tell everyone who’ll listen about it…the Rotater, and let them use mine…but not keep it! Don’t know how many have contacted you but I tell them use my name and maybe you’ll give them a special deal! What the heck…it’s worth a try ain’t it?

So there you go. I’m a great fan of the thing and will remain so.

Best to both of you,

Dusty O’Tyrrell
Senior Professional Golfer
P.O. Box 499
Death Valley, California 92328

Here is an excerpt of their thoughts concerning the Rotater and how it may help improve your golf game:

Improved overall physical fitness is the most overlook method of game improvement by golfers. This is where The Rotater can help you improve your golf game by increasing flexibility and range of motion in the shoulder joint, an important lever in the golf swing when in comes to power and stability.

You can read the entire article here.

Recently, we have been contacted by several “print” media (magazines) and one television show about doing articles, segments and/or features on the Rotater, but 1StopForGolf.com is the first to publicly acknowledge the benefits that can be enjoyed by using this remarkable shoulder stretching and rehabilitation device.

We have created an “IN THE NEWS” page (you will see an “in the news” tab at the top of this page) to chronicle the publicity that the Rotater receives. Please visit this news page from time to time to see “who is saying what” about the Rotater.

• Breast cancer
• Breast cancer rehabilitation
• Lymphedema
• Breast cancer awareness
• Other breast cancer issues

Breast cancer strikes indiscriminately and regularly (it affects about 1 woman out of 8, conservatively). Breast cancer has touched our lives through our loved ones. My aunt is currently in the latter stages of treatment to eradicate the disease from her body, while Scott’s sister has recently completed her treatments.

An idea is born – the “Pink Rotater”

When we discovered that our product ( The Rotater ) was being used to help breast cancer patients, we decided that this was an opportunity for us to help in the fight against breast cancer.

Scott and I decided that we would produce a “Pink Rotater”. It is, in every respect, the same as our regular Rotater with a some additional benefits:

• We will set aside 10% of the revenues generated from the sale of these “Pink Rotaters” to donate to breast cancer research.
• We will include our new “Strong Arm” accessory at no additional cost, with every “Pink Rotater” purchased. This strengthening accessory has been in the development stages for some time, but was pushed into production when our research indicated that it was a product that breast cancer patients could benefit from now! We will also be adding new pictures, new graphics and a new video to our web site which will demonstrate how to use the “Strong Arm” accessory. Stay tuned.

Stretching Shoulders to Stretch Lives

As you look around our site, you will begin to see this pink breast cancer ribbon with the words “Stretching Shoulders to Stretch Lives” above and below it. This is a phrase that we take seriously.

The Rotater will allow you to stretch your shoulder and regain your range of motion, but we intend to go beyond “Stretching Shoulders”. We want to “Stretch Lives” and because of this, you have our commitment to aid in the funding of breast cancer research.

Order your “Pink Rotater” today and help us “Stretch Lives”.

If you have questions or comments, please contact us.