Research and News
Posts tagged EMG
Exercise ball more effective at activating abdominal muscles
Apr 8th
The exercise ball is a popular device for core training, and is often used to increase muscle activation, particularly of the abdominals. Most studies have concluded that the exercise ball increases electromyographic (EMG) activity of the abdominal muscles. In England, Dr. Michael Duncan investigated the muscle activation in 2 different parts of the rectus abdominus muscle (the upper and lower portions) during exercise both on and off an exercise ball. The 3 exercises were the abdominal curl-up, roll-out, and jack knife. Subjects also performed a curl-up on the floor.
The exercise ball consistently had significantly more rectus activation than the curl-up on the floor. The chart below provides the percent of maximal contraction (MVIC) of each portion of the abdominals during each exercise:
Floor Curl-up Ball Curl-up Jack knife Roll-out Upper Rectus 68% 84% 93% 104% Lower Rectus 64% 93% 111% 98%The study also found that the jack knife was the best exercise for lower abdominal activation compared to all other exercises. This may help clinicians choose an exercise that specifically targets one portion of the abdominals over another. However, some researchers suggest that isolating one muscle may not be beneficial for core stabilization, instead focusing on quick and strong activation of More >
Study published in Physical Therapy journal on Thera-Band resistance vs. dumbbells
Apr 1st
In an Academy blog post in February, Thera-Band® resistance or dumbbells? New research supports both in the clinic, we reviewed a new research article published online in the Physical Therapy journal. The article is now available in print at the journal’s website. The landmark study showed that Thera-Band elastic resistance was as effective as dummbells at activating muscles during therapeutic exercises. In addition, the article validated the use of the Borg RPE scale in dosing the intensity of resistive exercises. For more information, read the press release here.
If you’d like to learn more about this study and other biomechanics behind elastic resistance training that will help your patient exercise prescription, attend one of our remaining “Beyond Bands” courses in Virginia or Kansas. In the course, healthcare professionals can learn the scientific and clinical application of elastic resistance and balance training.
Study Shows Resistance Exercises Using Thera-Band Elastic Tubing and Dumbbells Produce Similar Levels of Muscle Activation
Mar 5th
Akron, OHIO: High-intensity resistance training plays an essential role in the prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. Although resistance exercises with heavy weights yield high levels of muscle activation, the efficacy of more user-friendly forms of exercise needed to be examined.
“We were interested in a study that would confirm that elastic resistance is as effective as isotonic resistance without the hassle of dumbbells,” stated Phil Page PhD, PT, ATC, Director of Research and Education for Thera-Band Academy. “The convenience and accessibility of elastic bands and tubing can be very beneficial for patients continuing their exercises at home.”
Lars L. Andersen, PhD, and Mette K. Zebis, PhD, researchers with the National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Copenhagen, Denmark, completed a recent research study to investigate muscle activation and perceived loading during upper-extremity resistance exercises with dumbbells compared to elastic tubing.
The findings of this study were published online ahead of print on Feb. 4, 2010, by the American Physical Therapy Association at www.ptjournal.apta.org, the Web site of the Association’s journal, Physical Therapy (PTJ).
The article can be accessed at http://ptjournal.apta.org/future/90.4.dtl and will be published in print in the April 2010 issue.
The study involved 16 healthy female workers, aged 26–55 years, working More >
The Best Exercises for Rotator Cuff Strengthening
Mar 2nd
For years, the debate has continued on the ‘best’ exercises for strengthening shoulder muscles. Using electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity, researchers have attempted to determine which exercises have the highest levels of muscles activity for strengthening exercises. Several studies have examined EMG of common shoulder exercises to find the best exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff; in particular, the supraspinatus muscle. The “empty can” or “full can” exercises have been the most commonly performed exercise for supraspinatus strengthening, but controversy still exists in the literature.
While high muscle activation levels are often desirable, what’s more important is the relative activation of other muscles during the movement. For example, Dr. Michael Reinold and colleagues suggested in their 2007 paper that a good rotator cuff exercise should produce the greatest supraspinatus activity while minimizing the deltoid activation. Theoretically, reducing deltoid activation decreases the upward shear of the humerus during arm elevation, which may be desirable when prescribing exercise to strengthen the suprapsinatus in impingement patients.
In a study published in Medicine and Science and Sports and Exercise, subjects performed 5 isometric exercises in random order while measuring the EMG activity of the deltoid, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus. The exercises were: full can, empty can, prone elevation, elastic external More >
Thera-Band® resistance or dumbbells? New research supports both in the clinic
Feb 7th
The debate of elastic resistance versus isotonic resistance
Elastic resistance is commonly used in rehabilitation exercises, and has been shown to increase strength and function in over 100 randomized controlled trials (www.thera-bandacademy.com). Even with this amount of clinical evidence, elastic resistance is sometimes criticized because of the difficulty in quantifying intensity. Despite the fact that force elongation charts are available to quantify elastic resistance intensity, it is sometimes difficult to use these clinically. Because of this limitation, few studies have compared elastic and isotonic resistance directly because of the intensity-dosing issue.
Quantifying EMG and RPE of elastic and isotonic resistance
Researchers in Denmark compared elastic and isotonic dumbbell resistances for muscle activation and perceived exertion levels. Healthy females performed 3 different exercises with standard dumbbells ranging from 2 to 7.5 kg, and Thera-Band elastic tubing (red, green, blue, black and silver). The researchers developed a chart comparing isotonic and Thera-Band elastic resistance stretched 125 to 150%.
Thera-Band® elastic color Isotonic Resistance Red 2 kg Green 3 kg Blue 4 kg Black 5 kg Silver 7.5 kgEach subject randomly performed 3 exercises with both types of resistance: standing lateral raise, shoulder external rotation at 0° of abduction, and seated wrist extension. The elastic tubing was stretched More >
