Research and News
Archive for May, 2010
Thera-Band® strength training for older adults: from acute care to home exercise
May 27th
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One of the most common clinical mistakes is to arbitrarily assign resistance training levels to older adults, often choosing very low intensities. These low loads are often insufficient to increase muscle strength. Drs. Dale Avers and Marybeth Brown of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Section on Geriatrics published a whitepaper in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy on strength training for older adults.
Both the Section on Geriatrics and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend strength training at 60% of 1 repetition maximum (RM) as the minimal intensity for strength gains. 1RM is the maximal amount of resistance an individual can move for only one repetition. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to determine 1RM capabilities in older adults. Even using a multiple RM equation to estimate 1RM may not be accurate, since they haven’t been validated in older adults. However, using Thera-Band® resistance to quantify a multiple RM level has been validated in older adults (Manor et al.)
Using a “rating of perceived exertion” or RPE scale has been advocated to better estimate resistance exercise intensity. There are 2 popular RPE scales: the Borg scale and More >
USA Bowling Partners with Thera-Band Academy
May 25th
The new home of USA Bowling, the Bowling International Training and Research Center located in Arlington, Texas, is now open and featuring Thera-Band® products. As a partner with the Thera-Band Academy, the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) will use Thera-Band products in many exercises designed to correct poor movement patterns and decrease the risk of repetitive stress injuries. Exercises will focus on scapular and core stabilization and mobilization of the ankles, hips, and thoracic spine. Nicholas Bohanan, MEd, ATC, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, an Exercise and Conditioning Specialist with the USBC, has developed an elastic-resisted shoulder exercise strength training program for bowlers using Thera-Band resistance bands.
The Bowling International Training and Research Center is in association with the United States Bowling Congress and is the only bowling training center recognized by the United States Olympic Committee. The 930 sq. ft. Athlete Performance Enhancement Center is located within the facility and will be the focal point of training for USA Bowling’s adult and junior national teams. Other bowling athletes who will utilize the facility include many collegiate and International teams.
Performance Health / Hygenic Corporation Donates Biofreeze Pain Reliever to US Troops
May 21st
Performance Health / Hygenic Corporation has made a donation of Biofreeze Pain Reliever, at a retail value of $1.2 million, to SupportOurTroops.Org. Donations to Support Our Troops are used to bring aid and comfort to US troops in the field.
“The values of this great nation generate the patriotism that inspires people and companies to step up like this for the troops,” says Martin C. Boire, Chairman of SupportOurTroops.Org. “These troops carry at lot more on their shoulders than very heavy backpacks. When you’re carrying a responsibility as big as America on your shoulders, you’re bound to get sore muscles, and the relief they’ll receive from a product like Biofreeze is going to be greatly appreciated. On behalf of the troops, we thank and commend Performance Health for their unsolicited contribution.”
“When considering where to make this product donation, our troops were at the top of the list. We are honored to be able to support them and are grateful for their dedication and sacrifice,” stated Jeff Mathers, Product Manager-Biofreeze for Performance Health / Hygenic Corporation. “We hope this donation provides relief for those suffering with aches and pains as a result of their physically challenging commitment. We are also grateful for More >
What to consider when combining elastic and traditional barbell exercises
May 20th
Strength and conditioning professionals have been adding elastic resistance bands to traditional squat and bench press exercises. It’s thought that adding elastic bands to these traditional barbell exercises will increase force output. Researchers at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles published a paper in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that quantified the force production of thick elastic bands during elastic-augmented barbell exercises.
The researchers noted that the exact loading pattern provided by elastic bands needs to be quantified for programming optimal exercise variables. They were concerned with 3 variables: the thickness of the bands, the attachment of the band, and the exercise performed. The researchers attached different thicknesses of bands as they would be used during a bench press or squat. Four elastic band lengths were used for bench press compared to 2 lengths for the squat. Elastic force was determined as the bands were stretched 200 to 300%, and prediction equations were calculated. As expected, the bench press set-up (4 band length equivalents) produced about twice as much force and slope as the squat (2 band length equivalents).
It’s important for practitioners to know the volume of exercise during a combined free weight plus elastic band exercise. The authors suggest that More >
Academy featured in Advance magazine
May 17th
Dr. Phil Page, Director of the Thera-Band Academy, was recently interviewed by Advance for Physical Therapy and Rehab Medicine magazine. Check out the May 3 issue for the full article.
In the article, he describes the Academy and how it along with research helps support the Thera-Band and Biofreeze product lines.
