Research and News
Posts tagged older adults
Abduction exercise after hip replacement: is there an optimal progression?
Aug 23rd
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 More >
Thera-Band® resistance vital part of older adult home exercise study
Aug 12th
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 to Increase Physical Activity Among Older Adults for medical professionals to provide evidence-based physical activity programs for sedentary older adults. The First Step to Active Health kit contains a well-rounded exercise program with a Thera-Band resistance band and illustrated exercises for flexibility, strength and balance activities at home.
While physicians are the most influential at encouraging people to begin exercising, less than 50% of physicians recommend exercise as part of their patient’s treatment, and even less among those with cardiovascular disease. This number will hopefully increase as physicians understand that the benefits of physical activity usually outweigh the risks. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has launched a new initiative encouraging physicians to write prescriptions for physical activity through their “Exercise is Medicine” campaign.
German researchers at Ruhr-University in Bochum Germany have started a feasibility study on a 12-week multi-modal home exercise program including Thera-Band resistance bands. General practitioners and exercise therapists will work together More >
Balance training effective at reducing falls and improving function
Apr 6th
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 risk factors. Approximately 1/3 of older adults sustain falls every year in the United States, costing over $19 billion in healthcare costs.
Physical therapist researchers at Cal State University Northridge performed a study to determine the effectiveness of a balance exercise training program on strength, balance, gait, and fall risk in 23 healthy community-dwelling older adults at risk for falls. Subjects were randomly assigned to an exercise group or non-exercising control group. The exercise group performed a small group-based balance program, “A Matter of Balance” for 12 weeks, three times a week in a class setting at the PT department.
According to the authors, the exercises included balance exercises standing on foam surfaces and balance boards, as well as squats with an exercise ball. Interestingly, there was no resistive strengthening component in their description of the exercise program, although the original “A Matter of Balance” program developed at Boston More >
Thera-Band® exercise helps improve bone density and reduce falls in osteoporosis
Feb 24th
It’s been well-established that exercise has numerous health benefits, yet it is only relatively recently that exercise has been shown safe and effective at improving health and quality of life in older adults.
Recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American College of Sports Medicine include strengthening exercises for older adults at least twice a week. Strength training can improve muscular strength, power and endurance in older adults. In addition, strength training can increase bone mass or decrease bone mass loss which is particularly important in women with osteoporosis. Falls in osteoporotic women in particular often lead to fractures of the hip, back, and arm.
Researchers in Germany set out to determine if a well-rounded exercise program that included Thera-Band® resistance bands would be effective at increasing bone density, decreasing falls, and improving cardiovascular risk factors in older women. In the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 246 women over 65 years old were randomly assigned to either a high-intensity/low volume “well-rounded” exercise program, or a low-intensity “wellness” exercise control group. The 18 month exercise program included 2 group sessions per week and 2 home-based sessions per week.
The well-rounded exercise group protocol included cardiovascular warm-up exercises, upper body strengthening exercise using More >
First Step to Active Health® effective for both group- and home-based programs
Aug 11th
Michael Rogers, PhD of Wichita State University, discussed 2 studies on the Thera-Band® First Step to Active Health® recently presented at the American College of Sports Medicine. Working with researchers from Nagoya City University in Japan, Rogers investigated the effects of 12 weeks of the First Step program on functional fitness in older adults. They found significant improvements in function and balance, as well as increased overall physical activity after the program. In addition, the researchers found that the program was successful when performed supervised in a group or unsupervised at home. “The First Step program is a highly effective program for either home or group based exercise in older adults. Our next step is to evaluate the impact of Internet-based feedback on the program,” said Rogers. Dr. Rogers presented his findings at the TRAC 2009 meeting in Cancun, Mexico. Read the research abstract here.
Visit the Thera-Band Academy Older Adult Exercise Center here.
