Research and News
Products
Thera-Band® resistance helps headache associated with neck pain
Jun 8th
Cervicogenic headaches, or headaches referred from the neck, occur in about 2.5% of adults. While most people treat their headaches with medication, research is showing that exercise may be a better long-term solution, particularly for chronic neck pain. Researcher Jari Ylinen MD, PhD from Central Hospital in Finland and his colleagues investigated the effects of Thera-Band® strengthening exercises and endurance exercises in patients with headaches and arm pain associated with neck pain. His findings were published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Previously, Dr. Ylinen published landmark studies showing Thera-Band cervical exercises “relieve or even completely eliminate pain and restore function in patients with chronic neck pain.” His most recent study investigated the same program in patients with neck pain and headaches. In the blinded, randomized controlled trial, 180 female office workers with head and neck pain were assigned to a strengthening group, endurance training, or control group.
Training methods. Both training groups started with 2 weeks of clinical rehabilitation and a home exercise program, 5 days per week. The endurance group exercised by lifting their head up from supine for 3 sets of 20, while the strengthening group used a dynamic isometric Thera-Band exercise in a sitting position for 1 set of 15 More >
Why is force output decreased while sitting on an exercise ball? The core stability debate continues.
Jun 3rd
“Core Stability” has become a very popular term when discussing topics ranging from functional performance in athletes to rehabilitation for patients with low back pain. The exercise ball has long been used to promote core stability through specific exercises aimed at activating core muscles including the abdominals, low back, and pelvic stabilizers. The use of unstable surfaces such as a Thera-Band® exercise ball has been shown to increase muscle activity compared to a stable surface by providing additional challenge to postural stability. Researchers have shown, however, that exercises on an unstable surface reduce force output, suggesting that traditional resistance training exercises should not be performed on an unstable surface when the goal is to increase core activation. This lack of force output on unstable surfaces is thought to be related to a lack of core stability.
Researchers in New Zealand set out to determine if the loss in force output while performing an overhead press exercise on an exercise ball was related to core muscle endurance. They were interested in the ‘specificity vs. generality” of core stability; in other words, is core stability related to overall physical performance, or simply a measure of core muscle endurance?
30 resistance-trained, healthy young males participated in the study. More >
Exercise with Thera-Band® Stability Trainers helps improve dynamic balance in patients with hip osteoarthritis and replacement
Jun 1st
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, there are over 200,000 hip replacements performed each year in the United States. The most common reason for hip replacement is osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. “Hip School,” an exercise program for patients with osteoarthritis and hip replacement was developed in Germany in 1995 by orthopedic surgeon Thomas Horstmann and physiotherapist Georg Haupt. In the program, small groups of patients (10-15) exercise under the supervision of a physical therapist. Home exercises are also performed 3 to 4 times per week. The exercises focus on strength and balance exercises for 20 minutes, including:
- 1-leg balance, 15-30 seconds for 5 reps on each leg
- 1-leg balance with opposite leg movement for 1 to 3 sets of 15-25 reps
- Hip lift for 3 sets of 15-25 reps
- 2-leg calf raise with 2-second hold, 1 to 3 sets for 15 to 25 reps.
- Patients progress from a stable surface to Thera-Band Stability Trainers.
In a paper published in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, German researchers wanted to compare their Hip School participants with a non-exercising control group of hip patients. Each group was tested before and after 3 months using an oscillating platform (Posturomed®) to measure their static and dynamic balance. More >
Thera-Band® strength training for older adults: from acute care to home exercise
May 27th
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 Omni scale. Several studies on older adults using elastic resistance have used Borg’s RPE scale to dose intensity, 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.
