Research and News
Posts tagged stretching
Does the new Thera-Band Stretch Strap increase flexibility?
Oct 10th
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Stretching interventions are important to restore normal muscle length and joint range of motion (ROM). Contract-relax stretching has been shown more effective than static stretching to increase muscle flexibility. PNF-style contract-relax stretching requires a partner to provide resistance for a pre-stretch contraction, followed by passive movement into the newly acquired ROM. Stretching straps are sometimes used as an assistive device to help hold a limb in place for a static stretch. Unfortunately, most straps are rigid and therefore provide only static stretching.
The new Thera-Band® Stretch Strap has inherent elasticity combined with rigidity to support both static and contract-relax stretching. Thera-Band Academy Scientific Advisory Board member, Dr. David Behm and his students at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada tested the efficacy of the Thera-Band Stretch Strap in increasing hamstring flexibility compared to a partner-assisted stretch. He presented his findings at the 2011 TRAC meeting in San Francisco. They evaluated acute hip ROM as well as movement and reaction time before and after different stretching interventions, randomized on separate days.
Both stretching conditions with the Thera-Band Stretch Strap and with partner-assisted stretching significantly improved hamstring flexibility and impaired More >
Stretching… implications for Massage Therapy
Apr 8th
Stretching exercises can be an important component of treatment during massage therapy. Licensed Massage Therapist Diana Thompson provided a great review of stretching exercises in Massage and Bodywork Magazine. She described the difference of effects between static and dynamic stretching with implications for massage therapists. Diana summarized the stretching research presented by Dr. David Behm when they both attended the 2010 Thera-Band Research Advisory Committee meeting. During that meeting, the research group was introduced to the new Thera-Band Stretch Strap which facilitates a number of stretching techniques.
Most of the controversy behind stretching is based on a misunderstanding of the literature. Different types of stretching (static, dynamic, contract-relax) produce different effects based on the activity performed and population tested. For example, static stretching immediately before a jumping event will decrease jump performance, whereas static stretching may increase flexibility in an older adult performing activities of daily living. It’s important not to make your clinical judgments about interventions based on media reports of research. A recent article in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports provides an excellent review of the literature on stretching. Practical summaries of the literature, as Diana provided, can be a less time-consuming method of interpreting the literature to improve clinical More >
New Thera-Band® Stretch Strap Now Available
Nov 19th
Akron, Ohio : November 15, 2010. Hygenic / Performance Health announces the release of the new Thera-Band Stretch Strap, a revolutionary alternative to static-only stretching straps. The Thera-Band Stretch Strap can be used with both static and contract-relax stretches, which is one of the most effective forms of stretching for improving range of motion (ROM) and flexibility.
The Stretch Strap’s elastic design provides a highly effective contract-relax stretch while its slight “give” supports a more comfortable static stretch. The dual purpose of this strap enables complete replacement of static-only stretching straps.
“Improving flexibility and ROM is often the first goal in rehabilitation treatment, and the first step to increasing strength,” stated April Bertram, product manager for Hygenic / Performance Health. “Although studies show that pre-stretch contraction is one of the more effective stretches for increasing ROM and flexibility, there wasn’t an innovative tool readily available to practitioners or trainers. As the industry leader in progressive exercise systems, we believe we have developed a truly novel stretching strap that can progress the patient or athlete through the course of their treatment. The pre-release product trials we conducted with therapists and trainers confirm our belief.”
The strap’s multi-loop design allows for comfortable stretching of major More >
New Lower Body Stretches for Tennis Players
Apr 16th
Application of Controlled Movement and Proprioceptive Challenge to Lower Body Stretching for Elite Tennis Players
By Michal Novotny PT and Todd Ellenbecker DPT, MS, SCS, OCS, CSCS
Injuries to the lower extremities in elite tennis players are prevalent due to the multidirectional movements inherent in tennis play coupled with the repetitive loading and often extreme ranges of motion incurred in some tennis strokes. Tennis is unique in that it is played on many surfaces with very different coefficient of friction and traction demanding different responses at the court/shoe interface affecting traction, lower body loading, and ultimately functional performance. An increase awareness of hip injuries in including hip impingement and labral tears has necessitated clinical strategies aimed at reducing intra-articular hip injury. Descriptive study of hip internal and external rotation range of motion have shown bilateral symmetry in elite level tennis players. Additionally, tennis players and other multidirectional sport athletes have long been plagued with muscular injury in the form of strains particularly of the two joint musculotendinous structures of the hip and groin. Finally, recent emphasis has been places on dynamic stretching and warm-up prior to athletic performance due to the finding of short term decreases in acute high intensity muscular power and explosiveness following traditionally More >
