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Finger Ladder Exercises

The finger ladder, or wall climb, is a physical therapy technique that helps to restore range of motion to the shoulder after an injury, especially to the rotator cuff. It is also helpful in alleviating chronic rotator cuff disorders. The goal of the exercise is to improve the range of motion that a patient can achieve without pain in the shoulder.

  1. Wall Climb to the Front

    • Any flat wall will suffice for this exercise.

      By alternating between the wall climb to the front and the wall climb to the side, a patient achieves a greater range of motion than she does with one exercise alone.

      To perform the wall climb to the front, a patient begins by facing the wall. Careful not to arch her back, she reaches forward and touches her fingers to the wall. She keeps her shoulder down (doesn't shrug it up to her ear) and slowly walks her fingers up the wall, as high as pain permits. The fingers should remain in that highest position for 15 to 30 seconds. The patient then walks her fingers back down to the starting position. She repeats the exercise two to four times, striving to reach higher every time.

    Wall Climb to the Side

    • The wall climb to the side is performed much like the wall climb to the front, but the patient's dysfunctional shoulder faces the wall while the other shoulder faces out.

      When he reaches to touch the wall, though, the patient's arm should extend at an angle about 30 degrees toward the front of his body. The rest of the exercise proceeds in the same manner as the wall climb to the front.

    Finger Ladder Products

    • Finger ladder products are sold that can aid patients in these exercises. Typically, they consist of plastic or wooden wall mounts that are patterned in a sequence of "steps", each of which is flat on top and cut at a 45-degree angle underneath. This way, the patient is forced to raise his or her finger to a certain height with each step and can also track progress by marking the number of steps climbed with each attempt. These products range in price from about $60 to more than $130.

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