Academy Blog » Cuff Weights

Abduction exercise after hip replacement: is there an optimal progression?

Dr. Phil Page — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:46:20 +0000

Patients undergoing total hip replacement often have weak hip abductor muscles before and after surgery. One of the most common hip exercises is sidelying hip abduction using an ankle weight. While this may be an effective exercise to activate the gluteus medius muscle, open-chain, non-weight bearing hip abduction is not specific to the function of the gluteus medius as a pelvic stabilizer in single-leg stance. Resisted lateral walking with a Thera-Band® Band Loop or Tubing with Cuffs is an example of such a closed-chain exercise as the patient steps away from the involved leg.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky evaluated electromyographic (EMG) levels of 4 exercises in total hip patients between 7 and 32 weeks post-operative. Dr. Cale Jacobs and colleagues were interested to see if there was a progression of muscle activation to guide clinical decisions about hip abduction exercise prescription. They published their findings in the Journal of Arthroplasty. The 4 exercises included 2 non-weight bearing and 2 weight-bearing exercises:

Standing hip abduction with cuff weight at 1% of bodyweight, lifted to 30 degrees
Sidelying hip abduction with cuff weight at 0.5% of bodyweight, lifted to 50% of leg length
Standing hip abduction with uninvolved leg to 30 degrees
Lateral walk with Thera-Band resistance band attached with extremity straps around ankle

Researchers used a level of Thera-Band resistance that created the same torque as the standing hip abduction exercise (1% body weight) with stretch on the band at 50% elongation. The researchers used this chart of Thera-Band elastic resistance pull forces to prescribe the appropriate color of band.

Both the sidelying abduction and weight-bearing standing abduction with the other leg produced an average of 67% maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). The Thera-Band resisted lateral walk exercise produced an average of 63% MVIC and the non-weight bearing standing abduction produced 58%. There was no significant difference in activation between exercises, indicating no clear order of exercise progression. The researchers suggested these exercises can be used interchangeably, particularly when balance impairment or postural position may be an issue.

In conclusion, non-weight bearing exercises involving open-chain hip abduction provide no additional benefit of gluteus medius activation compared to more functional closed-chain exercises. Thera-Band loop resisted walking provides moderate (>60% MVIC) of gluteus medius activation in post-operative total hip replacement patients.

REFERENCE: Jacobs CA, et al. Electromyographic analysis of hip abductor exercises performed by a sample of total hip arthroplasty patients. J Arthroplasty. 2009 Oct;24(7):1130-6. Epub 2008 Aug 30.

Disclosure: Thera-Band Academy provided the bands used in this study, but did not provide monetary funding.

Visit the Thera-Band Academy Elastic Resistance Learning Portal here

Thera-Band Exercises for Tennis Players to Prevent Injuries

Dr. Phil Page — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:29:02 +0000

As with all sports, tennis injuries are all too common. The repetitive nature of tennis predispose players to many injuries as a result of muscle imbalance. Believe it or not, tennis players suffer from lower extremity injuries more than shoulder injuries. Todd Ellenbecker DPT, MS, CSCS, Director of the Physiotherapy Associates Scottsdale Sports Clinic, recently published an article in Strength & Conditioning Journal on exercises to reduce injury risk in tennis players. In the August 2009 issue, Ellenbecker and his co-authors provided a list of exercises to help reduce injury risk for the shoulder, elbow, hip, and core in tennis players. The exercises dont require expensive machines or equipment; instead, portable and inexpensive Thera-Band® products are suggested including Thera-Band bands, tubing and loops, Thera-Band Soft Weights and Exercise Balls, and cuff weights. As Director of Sports Medicine for the ATP Tour, Ellenbecker and the international team of physiotherapists regularly use Thera-Band products for testing and training professional tennis players.

Visit the Thera-Band Academy Tennis resource center here

5 New Thera-Band Active Care Products Available

Dr. Phil Page — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:45:44 +0000

The Hygenic Corporation / Performance Health Inc. is excited to announce the introduction of 5 new Thera-Band products that give healthcare providers new home exercise program options. Download the press release here.

Retail packaged, the Thera-Band® Foot Roller is an ideal tool for patients who are seeking an affordable, simple and effective solution to relieving foot pain caused by common conditions such as plantar fasciitis and over-activity. It features supple natural rubber, a ridged design, hollow core, and the ability to be chilled.

Packaged for practitioner resale and complete with an exercise poster, the 9” Thera-Band^® Mini Ball can be used in-clinic or sold to patients for use as part of a home exercise program. This soft, tactile, non-slip PVC ball supports a range of varied and effective exercises designed to increase core strength.

Ideal for home exercise programs, the Thera-Band^® Comfort Fit Ankle & Wrist Weight Sets feature adjustable straps, a soft terrycloth interior and reflective trim. They are available in three color-coded weight sets, ranging from red (two 1 lb. weights), to green (two 1.5 lb. weights), to blue (two 2.5 lb. weights).

Packaged for practitioner resale and complete with exercise instructions, the 13” Thera-Band^® Stability Disc offers an unstable and sensory-stimulating surface designed to facilitate balance and proprioceptive training. It is the most challenging balance product within the Thera-Band soft stability products category, and is ideal for advanced sports training and active sitting.

Packaged for practitioner resale, the Thera-Band^® Resistance Tubing Loops with Padded Cuffs provide the same resistance, system of progression and preferred quality as all other authentic Thera-Band Resistance Bands and Tubing. Their sturdy design and comfortable, no-slip cuffs make them ideal for sports performance enhancement and advanced injury rehabilitation

Best Shoulder Exercises

Dr. Phil Page — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:55:57 +0000

A recent article by Mike Reinold PT, ATC, Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Boston Red Sox, reviewed the best exercises that activate the shoulder muscles. The article, published in the February 2009 issue of the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy provided a list of the recommended resistive exercises as well as the scientific rationale for each. Recommended for overhead athletes and those undergoing shoulder rehabilitation, the exercises can easily be performed with Thera-Band Tubing with Handles and the new Thera-Band Ankle and Wrist Weights.

New Thera-Band Ankle and Wrist Weights

Reinold MM, Escamilla RF, Wilk KE. Current concepts in the scientific and clinical rationale behind exercises for glenohumeral and scapulothoracic musculature. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009 Feb;39(2):105-17.