Research and News
Archive for November, 2010
Thera-Band® products featured in evidence-based shoulder rehabilitation
Nov 29th
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Shoulder impingement and rotator cuff injuries often respond well to physical therapy exercises. The success of the exercise program will depend on an accurate clinical assessment and an evidence-based approach to prescribing appropriate interventions. Two expert physical therapists and clinical researchers published an excellent review on the rehabilitation of shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff injuries in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Drs. Todd Ellenbecker and Ann Cools offer a well-detailed description of the literature behind range of motion limitations, scapular dyskinesis, and muscle balance. Both authors have published extensively in these areas of clinical research, giving them an excellent perspective at translating evidence into practice by sharing their expertise. Ellenbecker and Cools provide some unique exercises for restoring shoulder muscle balance, including the “external rotation oscillation” exercise using Thera-Band® tubing and a FlexBar®. Dr. Ellenbecker recently completed an EMG study on this exercise, finding moderate levels of infraspinatus muscle activation. Another exercise researched by Dr. Ellenbecker, a 90-90 plyometric external rotation with a Thera-Band soft weight was highlighted in the article as well, and was featured previously on the Academy blog.
Simple and effective Thera-Band More >
First Step to Foot Relief kit now available
Nov 24th
Akron, Ohio – November 23, 2010 – Hygenic / Performance Health announces the release of a new Thera-Band product developed specifically for the podiatry market. Thera-Band® First Step to Foot Relief™ provides the podiatrist with an at-home treatment plan that enhances their in-clinic service with professional tools and an easy-to-follow program. The product was developed under the direction of practicing podiatrists, physical therapists and chiropractors to address one of the most common ailments they treat on a daily basis––heel pain.
First Step to Foot Relief is a comprehensive treatment solution with step-by-step instructions that combine stretching, massage and cold therapy to effectively help rehabilitate feet. Attractively packaged for resale, it is an essential tool to help improve compliance with patient-directed treatment for heel pain.
“Over two million Americans suffer from heel pain, which is the most common ailment seen in podiatry today,” stated Elizabeth DeFranco, Podiatry Marketing Manager, Hygenic / Performance Health. “Through our prominent brands, Thera-Band and Biofreeze®, we’ve become the industry leader in developing evidenced based protocols and pain management solutions. The knowledge and tools that have made us successful in the therapy, rehabilitation, massage and wellness markets naturally extend to the podiatry market. First Step to Foot Relief provides the More >
New Stretch Strap Exercise Videos Available
Nov 23rd
With the release of the new Thera-Band Stretch Strap, the Academy has posted several exercise videos demonstrating its use, including dynamic stretches for hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles. Be sure and subscribe to our YouTube channel while you’re there!
Visit the Academy’s Learning Portal to find more information on this revolutionary replacement to static straps, including product details and ordering information.
New Thera-Band® Stretch Strap Now Available
Nov 19th
Akron, Ohio : November 15, 2010. Hygenic / Performance Health announces the release of the new Thera-Band Stretch Strap, a revolutionary alternative to static-only stretching straps. The Thera-Band Stretch Strap can be used with both static and contract-relax stretches, which is one of the most effective forms of stretching for improving range of motion (ROM) and flexibility.
The Stretch Strap’s elastic design provides a highly effective contract-relax stretch while its slight “give” supports a more comfortable static stretch. The dual purpose of this strap enables complete replacement of static-only stretching straps.
“Improving flexibility and ROM is often the first goal in rehabilitation treatment, and the first step to increasing strength,” stated April Bertram, product manager for Hygenic / Performance Health. “Although studies show that pre-stretch contraction is one of the more effective stretches for increasing ROM and flexibility, there wasn’t an innovative tool readily available to practitioners or trainers. As the industry leader in progressive exercise systems, we believe we have developed a truly novel stretching strap that can progress the patient or athlete through the course of their treatment. The pre-release product trials we conducted with therapists and trainers confirm our belief.”
The strap’s multi-loop design allows for comfortable stretching of major More >
Exercise program effective for Japanese very elderly
Nov 18th
Exercise is an effective intervention to reduce the decline in functional ability in older adults. Thera-Band elastic resistance bands have been used in several exercise studies focused on reducing disability in older adults. Japanese researchers developed a 12-month multi-component exercise program including both home-based and group-based exercise sessions. 31 older adults with low levels of disability participated in an exercise group, while 34 subjects were recruited to serve as a control group. All subjects were between 74 and 96 years old.
The 90-minute exercise sessions performed by the exercise group included flexibility, strength, endurance, and balance activities. Exercises incorporated use of elastic resistance bands and exercise balls. The exercise group performed 10 minutes of stretching and strengthening at home every day that they were not in the weekly group sessions. Download the exercise protocol here.
After the year-long program, the individuals in the exercise group increased in lower body strength and flexibility significantly more than the control group. They also maintained grip strength, gait, and mobility compared to the control group, who declined significantly in these areas. Balance did not change significantly in either group. Interestingly, however, health-related quality of life did not improve. One important finding the authors reported was that the More >
