Stretching program to be completed every day, at least twice a day is extremely
important. Scapular protraction stretching will be performed in the bed
lying in sideline position. You want to support the shoulder blade with one arm
and with the other hand you want to support the elbow and the wrist. Slowly
move the arm forward stretching at the shoulder blade, hold it for 30 seconds
and then return back to your starting position. With the shoulder blade and the
back supported by the bed or the back of the wheelchair, you have one hand
underneath the elbow and one hand at the wrist. You're going to slowly bring the
arm out to the side of the body and up towards the head moving in a nice slow,
smooth pattern. Hold that position for 30 seconds and then slowly bring that arm
down to the starting position. Shoulder flexion can also be performed
either in the bed or reclined in your wheelchair. You're going to place one
hand under the elbow and one hand under the wrist. You're going to slowly raise
the arms straight in front of you with the thumb pointed up, hold that position
for 30 seconds and then slowly lower it back down. Shoulder internal and external
rotation can also be performed in the bed or reclined position of your
wheelchair. With the elbow and the shoulder at 90 degrees, one hand
supporting the elbow, one hand supporting at the wrist, you're going to slowly move
the hand up towards so it's in line with your head, hold that position for 30
seconds and then you want to bring it back down to the middle. Shoulder
horizontal abduction and adduction can be performed either in the bed or in the
wheelchair. You're going to elevate the shoulder at 90 degrees, you may have a
slight bend in the elbow if it is comfortable, one hand at the wrist and
one hand holding at the elbow. Slowly bring the arm across the body, hold that
position for approximately 30 seconds, slowly bring it out past the body and
hold that position for approximately 30 seconds. Elbow flexion can also be
performed either in the bed or in your reclined position of your wheelchair.
You're going to support one hand under the elbow, one hand under the wrist.
You're going to slowly bend the elbow bringing
the hand up towards the shoulder, hold that position for 30 seconds and slowly
bring the hand back down. You're going to support the elbow with one hand
and the wrist with the other. You're going to slowly turn so that the palm is
facing down, hold that position for 30 seconds and slowly turn it so the palm
is facing up for 30 seconds. You're going to slowly bring the hand up, hold that
position for 30 seconds, slowly let the hand go down and hold that position for
30 seconds. Finger flexion and extension may be performed either in the bed or
sitting in your wheelchair. You're going to support at the wrist, one hand under
the palm. You're going to slowly straighten up the fingers, hold that
position for 30 seconds, bring your hand over on top of the fingers and slowly
bend them down and hold that position for 30 seconds.
Supporting the wrists in the hand with one, take your opposite hand, you're going
to slowly bring the thumb in and slowly bring the thumb out holding each
position for approximately 30 seconds. Hip flexors, while not a very popular
stretch and not always the most comfortable stretching, is one of the
most important stretches you can complete. You're going to actually lower
one leg off of the side of the bed and actually let it just hang and let
gravity stretch the front of the hip for approximately five minutes with each leg.
We want to make sure you do these two with supervision. The hip extensor, if
you have a family helping you, can also be performed in the bed or in a reclined
wheelchair. They are going to support your leg under with one hand under the
knee and one hand under the ankle and they're going to slowly bring your knee
up towards your chest. You're going to support the knee with your one hand and
support the ankle with your other hand. You're going to bring the hip up into
approximately a 90 degree angle, slowly put pressure at the ankle
bringing it up towards the body, hold that position for approximately 30
seconds and return to the starting position.
You're going to place one hand behind the knee and one hand behind the ankle,
you're going to bring the hip up into approximately a 90 degree angle.
Slowly put pressure at the ankle bringing it out to the side of the body,
hold the position for approximately 30 seconds and slowly return to the
starting position. Hip abduction can be also completed in the bed or in a
reclined wheelchair. If you have somebody completing the stretch for you, they will
place one hand under your knee to support, one hand under the ankle for
support. They want to keep the leg as straight as possible,
elevated slightly off the bed, bring it out to the side hold it for
approximately 30 seconds, bring it back into the middle and then slowly lower
back to the bed. Hamstring stretching with assistance when you're lying in bed.
You will have your family member place one hand behind the knee, one hand
underneath the ankle for support. You're going to slowly raise the leg straight
up in the air making sure to keep the knee as straight as possible, hold that
position for 30 seconds and then lower slowly back down to the bed.
For quadricep stretching the patient needs to be lying on their stomach in
bed. If it is a family member or aide helping with the stretch, they're going
to support at the ankle and slowly bend the knee bringing the foot up towards
the buttocks, hold that position for 30 seconds and then lower back down to the
bed.They're going to rest the foot on the inside forearm with the other hand
cupping around the heel, they're gonna apply pressure with the forearms slowly
bringing the foot and the toes up, hold that position for approximately 30
seconds and then lower back down. Lower trunk rotation when you're completing it
in bed. If there's a family member helping you, they will bend both your
knees up so that your feet are flat onto the bed and your hips are at
approximately a 90 degree angle. You're going to give slight pressure twisting
the knees from one side, holding for approximately 30 seconds and then slowly
bring them all the way over to the other side and hold that position for
approximately 30 seconds. Stretching is one of the most important things you
will ever learn throughout your rehab stay. This should be completed at least
once a day if not multiple times a day as you're able. If you have any questions
about your program, please consult either your physical therapist or your
occupational therapist.