Research and News
Posts tagged physical therapy
A successful treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis
May 19th
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Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition caused by an inflammation of the plantar fascia, affecting nearly 2 million in the US annually (Martin et al. 2001). While most cases of plantar fasciitis are resolved with conservative treatment within a year, severe cases usually result in a surgical intervention.
A recent case report in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy describes a successful intervention in a 61 year old patient with a 10-year history of chronic plantar fasciitis who used night splints. Plantar fasciitis can increase the risk of falls in older adults, although the condition is not as prevalent as in younger adults.
In the case report, physical therapists Stephanie Peplinski and Kent Irwin described their 4-week intervention. The patient received 8 sessions of individualized physical therapy, twice a week for 4 weeks. She received soft tissue mobilization and iontophoresis with dexamethasone, and performed 4-direction ankle Thera-Band resistance band exercises for 10 repetitions in the clinic and at home. She also used a balance board and foam pad for balance training in the clinic.
At discharge, she reported decreased pain and improved activities of daily living (ADL). More >
Physical Therapist-led Home Exercise Programs with Thera-Band® Bands Benefits Stroke Survivors
Mar 17th
A stroke, or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) occurs when the brain is deprived of blood flow from a brain blood vessel blockage or rupture. With the increased awareness of strokes and advances in treatment, the number of stroke survivors is expected to continue to increase.
Stroke survivors are often left with residual disability, usually in walking and locomotion. As part of a collaborative “LEAPS” project between rehabilitation researchers at Duke University and the University of Southern California, 5 community-based rehabilitation hospitals in Florida and California participated in a large NIH-funded stroke survivor study. According to the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, this was the largest stroke rehabilitation study ever conducted in the United States.
Researchers wanted to investigate the effectiveness of high-tech robot-assisted treadmill training compared to home-based physical therapy exercises or “usual care” on the ability to walk independently. More than 400 patients were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: locomotor treadmill walking, home exercise program led by a physical therapist including Thera-Band® resistance band exercises, or a “usual control” group. The patients all had severe or moderate gait impairments. The protocol for the study was published in BMC Neurology in 2007, and specifically included a Thera-Band color-based progression. The More >
Rehabilitation for Shoulder Instability Update
Dec 2nd
Shoulder instability is a common cause of shoulder pain. Shoulder instability patients have been traditionally diagnosed from 2 groups: from traumatic, unilateral instability, resulting in surgery (TUBS), or atraumatic, bilateral multi-directional instability best managed with rehabilitation (AMBR). However, a new classification scheme suggests there are 3 groups of shoulder instability patients: 1. Traumatic structural; 2. Atraumatic structural; 3. Muscle patterning / non-structural. Traumatic shoulder dislocation (Group 1) is best managed through surgery. Atraumatic structural instability (Group 2), while best managed through rehabilitation, may improve with surgery after failed rehab. However, surgical intervention in Group 3 patients with non-structural instability often results in failure.
Jaggi and Lambert provide an excellent review of the examination and management of all 3 groups of instability. In their article, the authors describe physical therapy management of Type 2 and 3 shoulder instability, including biofeedback, postural taping, and rotator cuff strengthening with elastic bands and dumbbells. In addition, exercise balls and wobble boards serve as unstable surfaces to “enhance neuromuscular control at a reflex level. They emphasize that core stability is a vital component to rehabilitation of Type 3 (“muscle patterning”) shoulder instability. According to the authors, rehabilitation of Type 2 and 3 shoulder instability requires an average of 6 months of rehabilitation. More >
Thera-Band® products featured in evidence-based shoulder rehabilitation
Nov 29th
Shoulder impingement and rotator cuff injuries often respond well to physical therapy exercises. The success of the exercise program will depend on an accurate clinical assessment and an evidence-based approach to prescribing appropriate interventions. Two expert physical therapists and clinical researchers published an excellent review on the rehabilitation of shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff injuries in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Drs. Todd Ellenbecker and Ann Cools offer a well-detailed description of the literature behind range of motion limitations, scapular dyskinesis, and muscle balance. Both authors have published extensively in these areas of clinical research, giving them an excellent perspective at translating evidence into practice by sharing their expertise. Ellenbecker and Cools provide some unique exercises for restoring shoulder muscle balance, including the “external rotation oscillation” exercise using Thera-Band® tubing and a FlexBar®. Dr. Ellenbecker recently completed an EMG study on this exercise, finding moderate levels of infraspinatus muscle activation. Another exercise researched by Dr. Ellenbecker, a 90-90 plyometric external rotation with a Thera-Band soft weight was highlighted in the article as well, and was featured previously on the Academy blog.
Simple and effective Thera-Band products can be a valuable part of an evidence-based shoulder rehabilitation program.
REFERENCE: Ellenbecker TS, Cools A. Rehabilitation of shoulder More >
Thera-Band® Academy Educates Polish Physiotherapists
Sep 24th
Polish physiotherapists are learning the latest techniques in therapy through a new program partnered with the European Union and Thera-Band® Academy in Poland. The EU is funding a professional development program to support continuing education courses approved by the Polish Society of Physiotherapy. “We will have over 120 hands-on workshops this year alone featuring Thera-Band® products on a number of topics, including functional band training, sensorimotor training, and Bruegger exercise,” said Josef Spalek, a physiotherapist who leads Thera-Band Academy in Poland. These courses are accredited by the Polish Society of Physiotherapy. Recently, Phil Page PT ATC, director of the Thera-Band Academy, gave a 2-day workshop in Warsaw on treating chronic musculoskeletal pain as part of the program using Thera-Band products. Page also presented a half-day workshop on Thera-Band elastic resistance and balance training at the First International Congress of Polish Rehabilitation, organized by the Polish Society of Physiotherapy and Polish Society of Rehabilitation. The congress celebrated 20 year anniversaries of each organization. Attended by over 1000 physiotherapists and rehabilitation physicians, the Congress was held Sept. 10-13, 2009 at the University of Economics and Computer Science in Warsaw.
