Research and News
Thera-Band Elastic Resistance
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 >
Physical therapy with Thera-Band products effective after surgical repair of ankle fracture
May 4th
After surgery to repair an ankle fracture, physical therapy exercise is usually prescribed; however, no randomized, controlled studies have evaluated the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program after removing the post-operative cast. A prospective, randomized, controlled trial (RCT) was published by researchers in Sweden to evaluate a standardized, but individually-suited training program supervised by a physiotherapist.
105 patients were randomly assigned to a control group or physical therapy group after an average of 6 weeks in a plaster cast. The control group received “usual care”: advice and self-directed exercise. While 76% of subjects in the control group also attended physical therapy sessions on their own, their exercises were not the standardized program of the experimental group.
The physical therapy program began 1 week after cast removal and lasted 12 weeks, with 2 sessions per week. Patients also performed exercises at home between physical therapy visits. The neuromuscular training program consisted of range of motion (ROM) exercises, strengthening, balance training, and closed-kinetic chain exercises. Patients used Thera-Band® resistance bands for ankle strengthening exercises as well as wobble board and mini-trampoline exercises for balance training. Download the article and exercise protocol from the Academy here.
After 12 weeks, the physical therapy group showed improved results compared to the control More >
Thera-Band exercises beneficial after surgery to correct hallux valgus
Apr 28th
Many patients undergoing surgery to correct hallux valgus (bunion) continue to have difficulty with walking. Few studies, however, have evaluated the effect of exercise after hallux valgus surgery. Australian researchers published a descriptive study on the outcomes of 30 patients after osteotomy to correct mild to moderate hallux valgus. The researchers were interested in the plantar pressures of patients, particularly at the first ray. Despite improvement in clinical and radiographic measures, hallux valgus patients often lack the proper function of the first ray and great toe; this may alter gait patterns well after surgery.
At 4 weeks post-op, patients performed a multi-modal rehabilitation program once a week for 4 to 6 weeks. The treatment protocol included edema control, joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, and gait training. In addition, patients performed exercises with Thera-Band® resistance bands. The specific exercises were designed to reduce pressure on the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. Patients had to flex the MTP joints without bending the distal and proximal interphalangeal (IP) joints; then the exercise was combined with active pronation.
After rehabilitation, patients improved in range of motion and plantar pressure distribution; however, the study was limited by the lack of a control group. Subsequent studies should include a control group More >
Researchers encourage proprioceptive exercises for shoulder rehabilitation
Apr 27th
Proprioceptive exercises are commonly prescribed for lower extremity rehabilitation. More recently, sensorimotor (SMT) proprioceptive exercises have been used for shoulder rehabilitation. It’s thought that shoulder injury (in particular, shoulder instability) is related to proprioceptive deficits. Researchers speculate that deafferentation (loss of sensory information) from the mechanoreceptors of the shoulder joint capsule and altered proprioceptive information create these sensorimotor deficits (Lephart et al. 1997; Tibone et al. 1997)
A review paper in Athletic Training and Sports Healthcare discussed the adaptations of the sensorimotor system following shoulder rehabilitation. The authors used the PEDro system for inclusion criteria to review 23 articles. The most common techniques the paper reviewed included:
- Joint repositioning
- Closed-kinetic chain exercises
- Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
- Plyometrics
- Joint Perturbations
- Activation of muscle through elastic tubing, free weights or oscillation
The authors concluded that sensorimotor rehabilitation after shoulder injury is crucial, and that the sensorimotor system is, in fact, trainable. A proprioceptive and sensorimotor training program including Thera-Band® elastic bands and tubing, FlexBar® Oscillation, and closed-kinetic shoulder exercises with Stability Trainers should be included as part of a shoulder rehabilitation or prevention program.
Reference: Myers JB, and Oyama S. 2009. Sensorimotor training for shoulder injury. Athletic Training & Sports Health Care. 1(5):199-208.
Click here to visit the Thera-Band Academy Shoulder Center
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Thera-Band exercises effective for acute ankle sprains
Apr 20th
Ankle sprains are the most common injury in sports. Rehabilitation exercise after ankle sprains include active and resisted exercises, often performed with a Thera-Band® elastic band. Reduced ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) is considered to be a sign of significant injury and can affect gait and function.
Researchers at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota recruited patients with acute (within 4 days) Grade I or II ankle sprains. They were prescribed a 4 to 6 week home exercise program that included cold and compression, along with progressive resisted exercises using an elastic band. Patients performed resisted dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, and eversion with a yellow Thera-Band resistance band, completing 3 sets of 10-20 repetitions, one to two times per day. The patients progressed through the remainder of the Thera-Band color-coded progression (red, green, blue, black, and silver) as they improved in strength. Once the patients could perform 3 sets of 10-20 repetitions of resisted plantar flexion, they began calf raises. They also performed single-leg balance exercises including standing on foam pads. In addition to the Thera-Band and balance programs that the patients received, participants were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups of stretching the Achilles tendon on increase dorsiflexion. Each group performed 3 More >
