Research and News
Supported Researchers
USA Today features Thera-Band Neck and Shoulder Pain Exercise Research Study
Jun 30th
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our email updates for new blog posts. Thanks for visiting!
The USA Today featured a story on research from Dr. Lars Andersen in Denmark using Thera-Band® tubing to reduce neck and shoulder pain in office workers. For more information the study including links to download, visit the Academy’s webpage on Neck Pain Exercise here. You can also view the video of the exercise below:
Researchers show Thera-Band Tubing exercise decreases pain in workers
Jun 17th
Previously, Danish researchers reported that 2 minutes of daily Thera-Band® tubing shoulder lateral raise exercise significantly reduced neck and shoulder pain over 10 weeks. As part of their randomized controlled trial, Dr. Lars L. Anderson and his colleagues at the National Research Center for the Working Environment in Copenhagen wanted to know the effects of the exercise on workers with headaches. Click here to see a video of the exercise. 198 office workers with chronic neck/shoulder pain were randomly assigned to either a 2 or 12-minute per day, 5 day a week exercise program, or a control group. After 10 weeks, both exercise groups had significantly fewer headaches than the control group – with a frequency reduction of 43%-56%. Intensity and duration of headaches remained unchanged. As with their previous study, 2 minutes was as effective as 12 minutes of exercise per day.
Dr Andersen stated, “The elastic resistance exercise helps strengthen the muscles around the neck and shoulder that may improve their work capacity, thus making the muscles more efficient and less painful.” Dr. Andersen and his colleagues published their results in a free download in the Scandinavian Journal of Work and Environmental Health.
Thera-Band® Exercise helps Washington Redskins Cheerleaders
May 3rd
Research on the Washington Redskins Professional Cheerleading team found that one-third suffered from lower back and hamstring pain (Greenstein & Bishop 2006). The ballistic chorus line-like kicks and drop splits are thought to be the reason for this high injury rate. A team of researchers from the Thera-Band Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) wanted to determine if an exercise intervention targeting the hamstrings could reduce the incidence of hamstring pain. Dr. Jay Greenstein, the chiropractor for the team, developed an eccentric hamstring training program with Thera-Band band loops. Injury data was collected at 3 points in the year: team selection in June, before pre-season in June, and after the season in December.
During the season, the cheerleaders performed the exercises 2 times per week at practice, as well as at home 3 times a week. Those with hamstring pain were assigned a Red Thera-Band band loop to perform the ‘split-stance’ eccentric hamstring exercise
.
Cheerleaders without hamstring pain used a Green Thera-Band loop and performed the ‘split-stance’ exercise, as well as a single-leg stance exercise.
Each exercise was performed a prescribed number of times based on the chart below. The eccentric lowering phase was performed over 5 seconds, while the concentric phase was performed over 2 More >
Improving functional ability in older adults with Thera-Band
Apr 14th
As the population continues to age, the number of functionally-impaired and disabled older adults will increase as well, leading to an increase in the need for institutionalization and associated increase in healthcare costs. Several research studies have shown that exercise is effective at improving function in older adults; however, few have examined the effects of exercise in functionally limited adults.
Researchers wanted to know if a progressive resistance training program using Thera-Band® elastic bands was effective at improving strength and function in a group of independent-living older adults with functional limitations. They recruited 87 subjects averaging 75 years old with functional limitations measured by the SF-36 test. They were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or a non-exercising control group.
The exercise participants performed 13 progressive Thera-Band exercises once per week in a group setting. Because they were using elastic resistance, the participants were instructed to perform the same exercises as home twice per week as well. All subjects were evaluated before, during, and after the 16 week program. Download the Thera-Band exercise program here.
By 9 weeks, nearly all had progressed in Thera-Band elastic resistance levels from red to blue bands. The exercise group significantly increased in upper body and lower body More >
Thera-Band® Neck Pain Exercise Video Available
Apr 12th
A few months ago, I posted a blog about a new study by Dr. Lars Andersen in Denmark, which showed that a simple Thera-Band® elastic tubing exercise significantly reduced neck and shoulder pain in office workers. We now have a short 1-minute video that demonstrates the neck pain exercise for workers and companies that might be interested in improving productivity and reducing insurance costs. Click on the image below to view the Thera-Band elastic tubing exercise video or link to it here.
In addition, I’ve created a web page with a review of the study, as well as links to the research paper and the video at http://info.thera-bandacademy.com/neckpainexercise. At the bottom of the page, you can also see links to the media coverage in Denmark. Please feel free to share the outcomes of this excellent study with anyone you know who may benefit from a quick, simple, and inexpensive solution to occupational neck pain.
