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Research Updates
Exercise program effective for Japanese very elderly
Nov 18th
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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 More >
Shoulder Impingement Rehabilitation Exercise Protocol
Nov 16th
Shoulder impingement is a very common cause of shoulder pain. Impingement occurs when the humerus ‘impinges’ on the acromion of the shoulder, reducing the subacromial space (SAS). Impingement may result from structural causes such as bony deformation of the acromion, or as a functional result of shoulder instability and weakness. While therapeutic exercise is a standard treatment for functional impingement, no “gold standard” rehab protocol exists.
Dr. John Kuhn of Vanderbilt Sports Medicine in Tennessee published a systematic review of exercises used to treat shoulder impingement. This review of 11 randomized controlled trials strongly suggests that exercise improves symptoms in patients with impingement syndrome. Dr. Kuhn concluded that exercise was as effective as surgery in treating shoulder impingement and a home program can be as effective as supervised exercise.
His review, published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, provided several suggestions for an impingement rehab protocol based on the literature:
1. Exercises should include daily range of motion exercises and stretching
2. Scapular and rotator cuff strengthening with Thera-Band elastic resistance bands should be performed 3 times a week for 3 sets of 10 with a progressive increase in resistance and repetitions to 3 sets of 20. Specific exercises are listed below:
Rotator Cuff Exercises with More >
Knee osteoarthritis exercise with Stability Trainers reduces pain and increases strength and function
Nov 11th
Knee pain is common in older adults and usually results from osteoarthritis. Researchers at Nagoya City University in Japan investigated the effects of combined resistance and balance exercises in older adults with knee pain. 28 men and women (average 77 years old) were randomly assigned to either a control or exercise group. The exercise group participated in a 12-week program, while the control group was instructed to maintain their normal physical activity levels. Both groups were tested for muscle strength and functional fitness before and after the program. Their results were published in Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics.
The exercise program was performed once per week as a group, with at 10-minute warm-up, 20 minute resistance training, 40 minutes of balance training, and 10 minutes of cool-down. The exercise group performed the program 2 additional days per week at home. The resistance exercises consisted of 5 body-weight resistance exercises (hip flexion, hip extension, squat, heel rise, toe rise). The balance exercises were progressive challenges to the visual, vestibular, somatosensory, and muscular systems using Thera-Band Stability Trainers. The green (firm) and blue (soft) stability trainers were used to progress the levels of instability. The exercise group had an 88% adherence rate, More >
Exercise on unstable surfaces increases trunk muscle activation
Nov 4th
Unstable surfaces have become more popular for balance and stabilization training. Thera-Band® Exercise Balls and Stability Discs offer multiple options for unstable surface training. These unstable surfaces are thought to increase muscle activation and co-contraction, particularly for core stabilization training. Japanese researchers investigated the effect of unstable surface training on trunk muscle activity during common lumbar stabilization exercises in 19 healthy subjects. Their findings were published in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy.
The researchers used surface electromyography (EMG) to assess the “global” muscles: rectus abdominus, erector spinae, and external obliques, and fine-wire EMG for the deeper “local” muscles: transverse abdominus and multifidus. The subjects performed 5 lumbar stabilization exercises for 3-second holds, both on stable and unstable surfaces. The exercises were: prone plank on elbows, supine bridge, quadruped arm-and-leg, side bridge, and curl-up. EMG levels were normalized to maximal contraction.
The prone plank exercise on unstable surfaces (including an exercise ball and stability disk) produced significantly more muscle activity of all core muscles. High levels of oblique and rectus muscles were noted in both conditions for the prone plank exercise. The supine bridge exercise performed on an unstable surface did not significantly increase the activation of any muscle; the levels remained More >
Case Study: Thera-Band® prehabilitation for total knee replacement effective
Nov 2nd
Thera-Band® exercises for knee osteoarthritis using have been shown in several studies to reduce pain and increase strength and function (Thomas et al. 2002, Topp et al. 2002). Dr. Robert Topp and his colleagues at the University of Louisville have been investigating the role of exercise in knee arthritis patients for several years. Most recently, they have researched the effects of “prehabilitation,” which are exercises performed before total knee replacement surgery. The results of their program have been published in several articles and featured on the Academy blog.
Dr. Topp’s colleague, Dr. Kent Brown recently published a case report on a 69 year old patient who underwent two separate total knee replacement surgeries. Her first surgery on the right knee was preceded with “usual” care (no prehab), while her left knee replacement was preceded by 4 weeks of prehab. The prehab program focused on knee strengthening exercises using Thera-Band resistance bands.
After prehab, the patient had significant improvements in function and strength before and after her left knee surgery compared to her previous non-prehab right knee replacement. The authors suggested at an extended period of prehab (greater than 4 weeks) would have resulted in even more improvement. This case study supports the effectiveness More >
