Seated UE D1 Flexion/Extension Diagonals
- The patient is sitting in a chair with their feet supported on the ground or small stool.
- The patient starts with the right hand down toward the floor next to their right upper thigh with their elbow extended and their arm internally rotated. Their palm should be facing away from them with their eyes directed down towards their right hand.
- Ask the patient to inhale as they lift their right arm up and diagonally across their body to end with their elbow flexed, their arm externally rotated and their fist closed and facing inward. Instruct the patient to follow their R hand with their eyes throughout this exercise.
- Have them exhale and slowly return their R hand back to the starting position by extending the elbow, internally rotating the arm and extending the wrist and fingers.
- They perform 6-8 repetitions and then repeat on the other side.
- Once they are able to perform this pattern correctly, you can add resistive bands held in the hands to increase the level of difficulty of this exercise.
