The Pencil Exercise.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Orthopedics
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Voluntary posterior shoulder instability affects 0.5%-2.6% of young adults, characterized by patient-provoked dislocations.
• Abnormal cortical activation is implicated, suggesting physiotherapy as a primary treatment.
• Current treatments include muscle reinforcement and electro-stimulation, yielding acceptable outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel, low-cost neuromotor rehabilitation technique for voluntary posterior shoulder instability.
• To explore the efficacy of distal-proximal neuromotor rehabilitation in improving physiological muscle function.
• To stimulate the cerebral cortex as an alternative to traditional interventions.

Main Methods:

• The pencil exercise involves circular hand movements with a pen to stimulate the cerebral cortex.
• This technique aims to bridge abnormal voluntary muscle activation and shoulder muscle response.
• Patients focus visually on hand movements, indirectly engaging shoulder muscles.

Main Results:

• The pencil exercise successfully bypassed abnormal voluntary shoulder muscle activation.
• Implementation of the technique led to improved physiological shoulder function.
• The approach offers a simple, low-cost rehabilitation option.

Conclusions:

• The pencil exercise shows potential as an effective treatment for voluntary posterior shoulder dislocation.
• This technique's cortical stimulation basis offers an alternative to conventional physiotherapy or surgery.
• Further research is necessary to validate efficacy and long-term outcomes.