Research and News
Dr. Phil Page
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Posts by Dr. Phil Page
Can high-intensity training improve throwing performance?
Oct 3rd
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Dr. David Behm
Repetitive overhand throwing requires both the generation of anaerobic and aerobic power over the course of a game. Professor David Behm PhD and his colleagues at Memorial University in St. Johns Canada wanted to see if a high-intensity training (HIT) strengthening program with Thera-Band elastic resistance bands would be beneficial for female fastball players. He presented his findings at the 12th annual meeting of Thera-Band Academy’s Scientific Advisory Board, TRAC.
Twelve subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. A “sprint” throwing training program was developed similar to a successful sprint cycle training program. The participants in the experimental training group performed a throwing motion against Thera-Band resistance. They progressively increased in resistance from green to blue to black resistance bands, exercising 3 times a week for 3 weeks with 5 sets of 20 repetitions.
After the short 3 week program, the training group significantly increased in peak oxygen consumption (VO2) by 18%, improved their lactate threshold by 21%, time to fatigue by 14%, and improved peak fastball velocity and endurance. The control group did not change. Dr. Behm’s research suggests More >
Another Successful European Train the Trainer Meeting
Sep 30th
The Thera-Band® Academy held its 6th “Train the Trainer” meeting in Montebaur, Germany on September 16-17, 2011. The meeting was led by manager of the Academy in Europe, Astrid Buscher at the Schloss Montebauer, a 1000 year-old castle. 36 therapists and sports trainers from 21 countries participated in the 2-day training. The training was held in conjunction with a European Distributor meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to provide hands-on workshops on Thera-Band products in rehabilitation and sports. New participants were certified as Thera-Band Academy instructors, while veteran participants participated in advanced workshops led by master trainers Sue Falsone, Nadja Schott, Suzanne Lingitz, and Jurgen Foerster. In addition to becoming certified to teach the Academy’s international evidence-based workshop, “Bands, Balls and Balance,” new trainers also learned how to use the new Thera-Band Stretch Strap to improve flexibility and range of motion from sports rehabilitation expert, Sue Falsone of Athletes Performance.
At the end of the meeting, awards were given to the top-performing instructors over the past year based on the number of workshops they provide, as well as educational and research contributions.
1st Place Dragan Dimitrijevic of Serbia
2nd Place Michaela Polaskova of Czech Republic
3rd Place Derya Ozer Kaya of Turkey
Newcomer of the Year: Gloria Sobrero & Juan Colado of Spain
Biofreeze proven better than ice again!
Sep 29th
Topical analgesics such as Biofreeze® are frequently used to reduce muscle pain. The main ingredient in Biofreeze, menthol, is thought to reduce pain through a counter-irritant mechanism and through stimulation of cold receptors. (Watch a video of that explains the mechanism of Biofreeze here). Previous research has shown that compared to ice, Biofreeze topical analgesic results in similar decreases in blood flow (Olive et al. 2010) and greater pain relief in patients with neck pain (Bishop et al. in press).
Dr. David Behm
Thera-Band Academy Scientific Advisory Committee member Dr. David Behm of Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada compared Biofreeze to ice in terms of its ability to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and increase muscle force production. He presented his results at the 2011 TRAC meeting in San Francisco. Two groups, each with 8 subjects, had DOMS induced in their non-dominant biceps. Two days later, either ice or Biofreeze was applied to their sore biceps. Subjects were asked to rate their pain perception and muscle function was measured with maximal voluntary contraction and tetanic force using electrical stimulation.
Biofreeze resulted in significantly less pain compared to ice, causing a 63% reduction in pain perception. While there was no significant difference between Biofreeze and ice on More >
A better way to prescribe shoulder rehab exercise intensity?
Aug 31st
OMNI-RES Scale
Physical and occupational therapists often use both elastic and dumbbell resistance during shoulder rehabilitation exercises. Unfortunately, many therapists arbitrarily assign resistance levels to patients during their exercises based only on clinical experience. In the fitness setting, RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) scales have been used successfully in dosing the intensity of both isotonic and Thera-Band® elastic resistance exercises (Colado & Triplett, 2008). In addition, RPE has been shown to be similar between Thera-Band and isotonic resistance of similar EMG activation during shoulder exercise in healthy subjects (Andersen et al, 2010). Most recently, as discussed on the Academy Blog, the OMNI-RES scale for perceived exertion was shown to be valid when used to prescribe elastic resistance exercise in healthy individuals.
Todd Ellenbecker DPT
Scientific Advisory Board memberTodd Ellenbecker, DPT from the Physiotherapy Sports Clinic in Scottsdale Arizona wanted to see if he could use RPE during rehabilitation exercises for his shoulder patients. He presented the results of his pilot study at the 13th annual TRAC meeting in San Francisco.
31 shoulder patients including 21 post-operative and 10 non-operative patients were in the study. They were asked to rate their perceived exertion using the OMNI-RES scale during several common shoulder exercises that were performed with both Thera-Band More >
Can we use perceived exertion to dose elastic exercise intensity?
Aug 30th
Several studies have suggested that Thera-Band® resistance is as effective as isotonic resistance (Andersen et al. 2010, Colado & Triplett 2008) with regard to muscle strengthening, power, endurance as well as its’ impact on body composition. One of the difficulties in comparing elastic and isotonic training programs is ensuring each group exercises at the same intensity level. While isotonic strengthening programs are usually dosed using a percentage of maximal strength (% repetition maximum), elastic resistance is often dosed by color progression without clinicians necessarily having a clear understanding of the resistive properties of bands and tubing. For a true comparison between groups using different types of resistance, the intensity must be similar.
Juan Carlos Colado, PhD
In 2008, Scientific Advisory Board member Dr. Juan Carlos Colado from the University of Valencia in Spain used the OMNI-RES scale to solve this disparity between 2 groups using isotonic or elastic resistance, proving that both Thera-Band elastic bands and isotonic resistance machines used at similar intensities can successfully improve strength and muscle mass in middle-aged women (Colado & Triplett 2008). This study first gave some validity to the use of the OMNI scale in prescribing elastic resistance exercise intensity.
OMNI-RES Scale
At the TRAC 2011 meeting, Dr. Colado presented More >
