January 7, 2011 – 12:00 pm
Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) often lead to disability and sometimes death due to lack of oxygen to different parts of the brain. These are also known more commonly as a “stroke,” and can cause weakness of the trunk and extremities, usually on the side opposite the brain damage. For example, a stroke affecting the left side [...]
December 16, 2010 – 7:29 am
As the aging population increases, many older adults are moving into assisted living facilities to maintain their independence. Exercise programs are now a standard offering at most assisted living facilities not only as a ‘benefit,’ but also to maintain functional independence and prevent falls. Programs such as the First Step to Active Health using Thera-Band [...]
October 19, 2010 – 8:42 am
It’s been suggested that 25% of people over the age of 25 experience persistent knee pain (Peat et al. 2001); furthermore, it’s estimated that one quarter of adults with mild to moderate knee pain will develop severe or disabling pain within 3 years (Jinks et al. 2008). Several studies have shown that exercises with elastic [...]
August 12, 2010 – 6:11 am
Thera-Band® Academy has been supporting clinical research projects around the world for over a decade. The research helps validate the use of Thera-Band products and provides clinicians with evidence to support practice. Several years ago, the First Step to Active Health® program was developed in response to a “call to action” by the National Blueprint [...]
Ankle sprains are the most common injury in sports. Rehabilitation exercise after ankle sprains include active and resisted exercises, often performed with a Thera-Band® elastic band. Reduced ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) is considered to be a sign of significant injury and can affect gait and function. Researchers at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, [...]
Fall prevention exercise programs are becoming increasingly popular. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of strength and balance exercises in reducing the risk of falls in older adults. National organizations such as the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend a multi-factoral approach to fall prevention because of the numerous [...]
Shoulder impingement is a common cause of shoulder pain that responds well to active, therapeutic exercise. A more passive “shockwave treatment” has recently been used to treat impingement. This passive modality was compared with an active exercise treatment in shoulder impingement patients in Norway. The study published in the British Medical Journal compared 12 [...]
Shoulder impingement is a common cause of chronic shoulder pain that can be treated with exercise. Impingement can be caused by a structural narrowing of the space between the humeral bone and acromion of the scapula, or by a muscle imbalance of the rotator cuff and/or scapular stabilizer muscles. These types of impingement are referred [...]
January 26, 2010 – 11:20 am
Shoulder impingement is common in people who perform repetitive overhead work. For example, as many as 70% of construction workers report shoulder pain, compared to 25% of the general population. Physical therapy researchers studied shoulder pain in 240 construction workers. In their prospective study, ½ of the workers participated in a home exercise program designed [...]
December 17, 2009 – 11:18 am
Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects 100,000 in the UK, and about 250,000 in the US. Approximately 75% of MS patients have difficulty walking, which is often caused by weakness of the anterior lower muscles. This weakness in the tibialis anterior muscle leads to “foot drop,” a condition noted by the inability to lift the foot properly [...]
