Research and News
Posts tagged older adults
Fall Prevention Conference Features Thera-Band Products
Aug 6th
Dr. Michael Rogers, Chair and Professor of the Department of Human Performance Studies at Wichita State University recently gave several presentations at the Louisiana Fall Prevention Conference in Lafayette. The conference, sponsored by the Louisiana Office of Public Health, was attended by over 60 representatives of healthcare, government, and senior centers. In addition to providing the keynote address, Dr. Rogers demonstrated his scientifically-proven fall prevention program, Standing Strong in several workshops. The Standing Strong program features Thera-Band products such as elastic bands and Stability Trainers to progressively challenge the systems controlling balance. Rogers noted, “Standing Strong is a practical and easy-to-implement program using readily available equipment. We use the elastic bands for both strength training and balance training because they are so convenient and versatile.” See photos from the event here from Flikr.
Elastic resistance improves function in older adults
Jul 9th
An article recently published by USAToday about a Cochrane review of research on improving function in older adults with resistance training noted that elastic resistance bands are effective:
“In a review of 121 clinical trials that looked at weight-lifting in people over age 60, researchers led by Chiung-ju Liu of Indiana University at Indianapolis, conclude that weight lifting two to three times a week makes everyday tasks easier for the elderly.
“Older adults seem to benefit from this type of exercise even at the age of 80, and even with some type of health condition,” Liu says, in a statement. “The data support the idea that muscle strength is largely improved after the training, and the impact on older adults’ daily activities can be significant.”
Free weights, exercise machines or elastic “resistance” bands (their weight adjusted to the progress of the study participants) all showed benefits. They included “large improvement” in strength and “moderate to large improvement” in tasks such as climbing stairs, according to the study the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.”
Read the Cochrane review here.
Simple Exercises to Prevent Falls
Apr 6th
Researchers in Portugal investigated the effects of 2 simple strengthening exercises using Thera-Band® resistance bands. The randomized, controlled study , published in Geriatrics and Gerontology International, included 48 institutionalized older adults. Subjects were tested before and after the program on ankle strength, functional mobility, and balance. The 2 exercises, ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, were performed 3 times a week for 6 weeks, and gradually progressed by increasing the color level of the Thera-Band resistance.
Thera-Band Ankle Plantarflexion
After 6 weeks, the researchers found significant increases in ankle strength (dorsiflexion and plantarflexion), as well as significant increases in functional mobility and balance. The gain in ankle strength was significantly associated with improvement in dynamic balance. There was no significant change in the control group. The researchers concluded, the low cost strength training program may provide a ”modest degree of protection from injurious falls among these institutionalized older adults.”
Riberio et al. Impact of low cost strength training of dorsi- and plantar flexors on balance and functional mobility in institutionalized elderly people.Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2009 Mar;9(1):75-80.
