Research and News
Balance Boards
EMG Analysis of Achilles Exercises
Jan 12th
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In a recent blog post, I wrote about Tim Tyler’s research presentation on EMG of the gastroc-soleus during Achilles tendon rehab exercises. The study was published in the November issue of Sports Health. Just to re-cap, here’s what the researchers found:
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Seated toe raise : 11%
- Single-leg balance on Wobble Board : 25%
- Prone ankle pumps : 38%
- Plantar flexion with red Thera-Band exercise band : 45%
- Walking : 47%
- Lateral Step-up : 60%
- Single leg heel raise : 112%
- Single leg jump : 112%
Be sure and check out Tim’s podcast of the study if you haven’t already:
Standard Podcast
Thera-Band featured in Asian workshops and Olympic Teams
Dec 5th
Academy director Dr. Phil Page recently gave 3 workshops on the Janda Approach to Muscle Imbalance featuring Thera-Band® products in South Korea and China. See pictures from the workshop on our Thera-Band Academy Facebook page.
40 South Korean physical therapists attended a 2-day workshop at Korea University Physical Therapy School in November to learn how to evaluate and treat Janda’s muscle imbalance syndromes. Thera-Band products including elastic bands, stability trainers, and balance boards were demonstrated. The workshop was sponsored by the Korean Society for Sports Physical Therapy and Naum Care, distributors of Thera-Band products in South Korea. Check out more photos on the KSSPT website here.
Following the workshop, Dr. Page toured the Korea Sport University and Olympic Training Center, where the Korean Olympic team uses Thera-Band products. Lead physical therapist for the Korean Olympic Team, Dr. Jehoon Lee is also an instructor for Thera-Band Academy.
At the Beijing Sports University, 100 sports physical therapists and trainers attended a 1-day workshop on November 8 featuring Thera-Band products. Dr. Page then toured the Sport Science Research Center, which uses Thera-Band products for Chinese Olympic athletes as well.
The Asian tour concluded with Dr. Page’s keynote lecture to 300 attendees of the First National Congress of Physical Therapy More >
Exercises after Achilles tendon reconstruction: an EMG-based progression
Oct 13th
Post-operative rehabilitation depends on 3 people: the surgeon, the patient, and the therapist. Obviously, the surgeon must be technically proficient, the patient must be compliant, and the therapist must promote healing without damaging the surgical repair. Orthopedic surgeons often have therapists follow specific rehabilitation protocols, usually based on tissue-healing timeframes.
Tim Tyler PT ATC
Prescribing therapeutic exercise at the appropriate dosage is essential since some tissue stress is necessary to facilitate proper healing; however, too much stress can damage the repair. Little is known about the stresses to tissues during Achilles tendon exercises. Thera-Band® Academy Scientific Advisory Board member Tim Tyler, PT ATC presented EMG analysis data on common Achilles exercises at the 2011 TRAC Annual Meeting.
Ten healthy subjects performed several common exercises, including Thera-Band resisted plantar flexion. The EMG activation levels are reported as a percentage of a maximal contraction:
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Thera-Band Plantar Flexion
Seated toe raise : 11%
- Single-leg balance on Wobble Board : 25%
- Prone ankle pumps : 38%
- Plantar flexion with red Thera-Band exercise band : 45%
- Walking : 47%
- Lateral Step-up : 60%
- Single leg heel raise : 112%
- Single leg jump : 112%
While EMG levels are not a direct measure of tissue stress, they can help establish an appropriate progression of high to low intensity activities. For example, Thera-Band ankle More >
Systematic review supports balance training
Jul 1st
Balance training using unstable surfaces such as Thera-Band Stability Trainers and Rocker / Wobble Boards continue to increase in popularity both in rehabilitation and sports performance. In addition, balance training has been shown to be beneficial in preventing injuries across the lifespan, from athletes to older adults.
German researchers published a systematic review of the efficacy of balance training for neuromuscular control and performance enhancement in the Journal of Athletic Training. 20 randomized clinical trials of balance training met their inclusion criteria for the review. As with many systematic reviews, the authors noted a lack of methodological quality and conflicting findings between studies. Nonetheless, they were able to make some conclusions:
- Balance training is effective at improving static postural sway and dynamic balance in both athletes and non-athletes.
- Balance exercises are recommended for postural and neuromuscular improvements, particularly for rehabilitation and preventive purposes.
- To improve strength, jumping or sports performance other interventions such as strength training are more effective than balance training.
- Longer balance training durations of 6 to 12 weeks seem more effective than shorter (4 week) durations.
The authors concluded that further research with higher methodological quality is needed to establish the efficacy and dose-response of balance training for functional performance.
Balance training improves risk factor for ACL injury
Jun 20th
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are often detrimental to an athlete’s season. Biomechanical analysis of the lower extremity suggests that cutting maneuvers increase the load on the ACL by increasing valgus and internal rotation forces when the knee is extended. While reconstructive surgery and rehab are often successful, it’s obvious that preventing ACL injuries through training and conditioning would be beneficial.
Some controversy exists regarding the optimal method of training for preventing ACL injuries in athletes. Researchers recruited 50 Australian Rules football players and randomly assigned them to one of 4 training programs: machine weights, free weights, balance training, and machine weights plus balance training. The balance training groups performed exercises using balance boards, mini trampolines, inflatable disks, and exercise balls. Subjects were tested before and after the 12-week programs for knee loads during running and cutting maneuvers. The balance training group significantly decreased their peak valgus and internal rotation moments during the cutting maneuver, which may help reduce the risk of ACL injuries.
In contrast, the strength training groups (machine weight and free weight) tended to increase their knee loads that place stress on the ACL. The authors recommend that athletes perform balance training to reduce the risk of ACL injury. This More >
