Research and News
Posts tagged balance
Balance exercises for chronic ankle sprains effective
Aug 31st
Chronic ankle sprains have been attributed to poor sensorimotor control, resulting in “functional ankle instability.” First described in the 1960’s by Freeman and Wyke, functional ankle instability has been postulated to result from a lack of proprioceptive information from the ankle due to “deafferentation.” Functional ankle instability is associated with chronic ankle sprains; patients with functional ankle instability may have normal strength and ligament structure, yet continue to suffer ankles sprains. Progressive balance exercise programs have been shown effective at reducing functional instability and recurring ankle sprains. Sensorimotor training programs for ankle instability often include balance exercises that use foam pads such as Thera-Band® Stability Trainers.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky developed a progressive balance training program for patients with chronic ankle instability. The program lasted 4 weeks and focused on dynamic balance stabilization in single-leg stance. Exercises included progressions in hops and single-leg balance using foam pads and 6-pound medicine balls. The results of their first study, published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise in 2008, found that their program significantly improved function and postural control in chronic ankle sprain patients. In their more recent study, 29 subjects with chronic ankle instability were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or More >
ATP tour uses Thera-Band® products for their players
Aug 30th
Thera-Band Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) member, Todd Ellenbecker, DPT, MS, SCS, OCS, CSCS was recently featured on a video demonstrating balance and agility exercises for tennis with Thera-Band products. Todd is the Director of Sports Medicine for the ATP Tour, and is the National Director of Clinical Research and Clinic Director of Physiotherapy Associates in Scottsdale. Learn more about the Thera-Band Stability Trainer, Band Loops, and Soft Weights that Todd recommends in the video.
You can also view the video at the ATP website here: Agility Training for Tennis with Thera-Band Products
For more information on purchasing Thera-Band products, contact your local healthcare distributor or visit our “Where to Buy” website to find a practitioner in your area who sells the products.
Functional rehabilitation of chronic ankle instability effective
Jul 12th
It’s been reported that athletes suffering an ankle sprains re-injure their ankle 70% to 80% of the time. This leads to chronic ankle instability or ‘functional ankle instability’. Rehabilitation for chronic ankle sprains often includes functional exercises including dynamic closed-chain activities. Thera-Band® products such as elastic resistance bands, stability trainers and balance boards are used for functional rehabilitation.
Researchers at the University of Toledo performed a systematic review of functional exercise interventions for their effectiveness. They identified 6 studies that met their criteria for the review, including 4 that used balance boards and elastic resistance strengthening. The researchers concluded that functional rehabilitation improves dynamic balance and self-reported function in patients with chronic ankle sprains. The exercise programs from the reviewed studies generally lasted 4 to 6 weeks and were performed 3 to 5 times a week. Finally, they pointed out that wobble board training in rehabilitation programs is “supported by the literature”; therefore, Thera-Band balance boards should be a standard component of chronic ankle instability rehabilitation program.
REFERENCE Webster KA, Gribble PA. Functional rehabilitation interventions for chronic ankle instability: a systematic review. J Sport Rehabil. 2010 Feb;19(1):98-114.
Visit the Thera-Band Academy Ankle Sprain resource center here
Balance training program effective for basketball players
Apr 15th
Several studies have shown that balance exercises and “neuromuscular training” are effective at reducing injuries in athletes. Neuromuscular exercises typically incorporate products such as Thera-Band® Stability Trainers, Stability Discs, balance boards, and exercise balls. Athletic training researchers wanted to determine if a neuromuscular training program was effective at improving balance in high school athletes.
Two groups of female basketball players were assigned to either a 6-week neuromuscular exercise program or a control group (the subjects weren’t randomized; they were assigned to a group based on their school). Athletes were tested for their static balance and dynamic balance; the static balance test (BESS) used foam pads to create an unstable surface to evaluate postural stability.
The exercise group completed a twice a week, 6-week program that included 4 training stations: functional strengthening, plyometrics, agility training, and balance training. Each session lasted about 1.5 hours. The functional training station utilized elastic band loops and exercise balls, and the balance station utilized foam rolls.
After analysis of the 50 athletes completing the study, the authors found significant improvements in both static and dynamic balance. While these results may sound intuitive, other studies have shown no increase in balance with more simple balance exercises, possibly due to a More >
Systematic review suggests how to improve balance with specific balance exercises
Apr 13th
Balance training for rehabilitation and sports performance enhancement has increased in popularity over the past few years, yet there remains little evidence on the optimal exercise dosage and prescription for balance training. Poor balance has been associated with falls in older adults, as well as injuries in other populations. Balance training has been shown in numerous studies to improve balance, reduce falls, and reduce injuries. Unfortunately, there is little consensus on the optimal dosage of balance training in terms of volume and intensity.
A systematic review in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research provided a systematic review of balance training in healthy individuals. Using the PEDro scale for analyzing studies, the authors evaluated the quality and effect sizes of 16 articles involving healthy individuals. 2 types of balance training for postural stability were identified: static and dynamic balance. Static balance is defined as the ability to maintain the center of gravity within the base of support. Dynamic balance is defined as the transition from dynamic activity to a static position. The authors also identified 2 types of surfaces used in balance assessment to quantify postural stability. Stable surface assessments utilize force platforms or single-leg balance time, while unstable surface assessments utilize tilting platforms.
The More >
