Since they came on the market, stationary exercise bikes have provided a safe, convenient way to build lower body strength while providing cardio training either as part of a fitness regimen or a post-injury physical therapy or cardiac rehab program. In some cases however, the focus needs shifting to the upper body due to shoulder or back injuries, or injuries and neurological conditions such as paraplegia that impact the lower body. When those are the areas of concern, the Therapy Trainer HandCycle makes a valuable addition to a physical therapy program.

The HandCycle provides a versatile way to gently stretch and strengthen the arm, shoulder, and upper back muscles while regaining or improving range of motion. The user grasps the hand grips and begins to pedal with them as he or she would with their feet on a stationary bike.

In addition to helping patients recovering from shoulder surgery or injuries to the upper body, the HandCycle is suitable for use in cardiac conditioning by patients recovering from lower body injuries, including those to the spinal cord. One of the users, a person born with spina bifida, commented that he uses his for strength and cardiovascular training. He reported getting excellent results from its use. 

Solidly built, the HandCycle is strong and durable, and its features rival any found on stationary bikes in health clubs. Its smooth, quiet adjustable magnetic resistance wheel may be spun either forwards or in reverse, and has more than twice the resistance of other upper body trainers currently available. Sturdy nonslip feet hold it in place whether on a desk or a table. Its hand grips resemble baseballs, allowing the user to grasp them with a natural hand arch while in an ergonomically correct position. The user may change the angle of the grasp to exercise different sets of muscles. A counter allows a user to measure time, speed, distance traveled, and calories burned.

Despite its heavy build, two or three HandCycles can easily fit on a table, allowing several patients to perform their upper body exercises at the same time. Another letter from an athletic trainer working with returning soldiers at a military hospital praised its ease of use, effectiveness, and user satisfaction. The HandCycle is suitable for use at physical therapy clinics, rehab centers, hospitals, and private homes. It's also used by sports teams for their training regimens. The San Francisco 49ers includes it in their quarterbacks' warm-up routines to ensure that their arms have received proper stretching through the entire range of motion to prevent injuries.

The HandCycle is also proud to be in the position to help returning wounded veterans to heal and rehab quicker, being able to assist them to quickly achieve their goals.   The following is part of a letter sent to the Therapy Trainer company; 

 "To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Michael Peck and I am a government contract employee serving as a Certified Athletic Trainer for the Musculoskeletal Action Team (MAT) at Ft Sill, OK; my team works primarily with the AIT students and cadre of 1/78 FA. We purchased three of the Therapy Trainer Hand Cycles for our soldiers to use for rehabilitative purposes and we have had nothing but good comments and results while using these devices.

Most of our injuries are lower extremity in nature and these Hand Cycles enable a soldier to get a decent cardio workout without stressing newly injured body parts. It has really served us well with those soldiers that have lower extremity stress fractures as they are extremely limited in performing lower body rehab exercises, including stationary biking. This machine also enables those rehabilitating upper body injuries to work on range of motion (ROM) and at varying angles with the baseball hand grips. Furthermore, the tension can be set very easily by an individual depending if they're working on strength, endurance or ROM."

With its versatility, solid construction, and effectiveness in achieving results as well as cost reduction, the Therapy Trainer Hand Cycle makes a great addition to any clinic, health care facility, training room, or private home gym.

Fran Jablway,
Medical Consumer Writer
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO