Portable shoulder rehabilitation/exerciser apparatus and regimenn

Abstract

A portable shoulder rehabilitation/exerciser adjustable resistance apparatus is disclosed. This apparatus includes a pulley and a hook adapted for receiving the pulley and is formed for removeably securing to the top of a conventional door. The apparatus also includes a length of rope passing through the pulley; and, ball handles are attached at each respective end of the rope. The ball handles of the apparatus are sized to fit in the palm of the hand of an averaged sized user. This apparatus is especially useful in a therapeutic rehabilitation regimen including the steps of locating a pulley directly over the shoulder of a user patient in a seated position. Next, each of the ball handles are placed in each hand of the user patient, wherein downward pressure applied by the user with one hand of an uninjured shoulder to one end of the rope raises the arm of the injured shoulder in a flexion manner. The last step is repeated a prescribed number of times for exercising the injured shoulder. Other regimens may be performed as well for raising the arm of the injured shoulder in an adduction manner, still other regimens may be performed while the patient is in a standing position.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A portable shoulder rehabilitation/exerciser adjustable resistance apparatus comprising: 
 a. a pulley and a hook adapted for receiving said pulley and formed for removeably securing to the top of a conventional door;    b. a length of rope passing through said pulley;    b. ball handles attached at each respective end of said rope.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said ball handles are sized to fit in the palm of the hand of an averaged sized user.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said ball handles are formed of wood.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein an opening is made through a diameter of said ball handles and said rope is secured therein.  
     
     
         5 . A therapeutic rehabilitation regimen comprising the steps of: 
 a. locating a pulley directly over the shoulder of a user patient in a seated position;    b. passing a rope through said pulley, wherein said rope includes ball handles located at each end thereof;    c. disposing each of said ball handles in each hand of said user patient, wherein downward pressure applied by said user with one hand of an uninjured shoulder to one end of said rope raises the other hand and injured shoulder in a flexion manner; and,    d. repeating step c above for a prescribed number of times for exercising the injured shoulder.    
     
     
         6 . The regimen as in  claim 5  wherein said user patient is seated to the side of said pulley and extends the arm of the injured shoulder to the side such that downward tension applied by the arm of the uninjured shoulder raises the user patient's arm of the injured shoulder in an abduction manner.  
     
     
         7 . A therapeutic rehabilitation regimen comprising the steps of: 
 a. locating a pulley directly over the shoulder of a user patient in a standing position;    b. passing a rope through said pulley, wherein said rope includes ball handles located at each end thereof;    c. disposing each of said ball handles in each hand of said user patient and the hand of the injured shoulder is placed behind the buttocks of the user patient, wherein downward pressure applied by said user patient with one hand of an uninjured shoulder to one end of said rope raises the arm of the injured shoulder in a flexion manner; and,    d. repeating step c above for a prescribed number of times for exercising the injured shoulder.    
     
     
         8 . The regimen as in  claim 7  wherein said user patient is standing to the side of said pulley and extends the arm of the injured shoulder to the side such that downward tension applied by the arm of the uninjured shoulder raises the user patient's arm of the injured shoulder in an abduction manner.