Research and News
Posts tagged thera-band
Thera-Band® exercise program successful in treating occupational shoulder impingement
Aug 6th
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Several studies have shown that exercise programs including Thera-Band® resistance bands are effective at reducing the pain and dysfunction in patients with shoulder impingement. These patients often exhibit muscle imbalances of the scapular and rotator cuff muscles, leading to subacromial impingement. Overhead workers are particularly prone to shoulder impingement due to the demands of their job. Physical therapists in Brazil established a specific treatment program for 14 men in the school supply industry with chronic subacromial impingement syndrome averaging over 2 years duration of symptoms.
The 8-week program was performed and supervised by a physiotherapist in a treatment room at the work site twice a week. The patients were assessed for subjective pain and function before and after the program that include the following standardized sequence:
- Cryotherapy. Ice packs applied to anterior and posterior shoulder for 20 minutes
- Stretches. 3 sets of 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest between repetitions, performed on both shoulders for upper trapezius, posterior shoulder, and pectoralis minor (corner stretch)
- Thera-Band strengthening program: performed on both shoulders using progressive Thera-Band color-coded resistance bands . Participants began with mild tension on the band and More >
Thera-Band® exercises safe and effective for patients with hemophilia and bleeding disorders
Jun 29th
Bleeding disorders such as hemophilia may cause bleeding in the joints, known as ‘hemarthrosis.’ This may lead to arthritis and subsequent joint replacement surgery. Exercise is an important component in managing hemarthrosis; however, many patients are hesitant to exercise for fear of injury and resulting bleeding. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of exercise in hemophilia patients.
Previously, German researchers created a strength and proprioceptive training program using Thera-Band elastic resistance and Stability Trainers. The results, published in 2003 noted improvements in strength and proprioception. The authors felt that a balance training component was important to prevent fall-related injuries in persons with hemophilia.
More recently, researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center created an individualized 6-week program using Thera-Band resistance in 33 patients with bleeding disorders. They used 3 levels of progression based the participant’s strength. Download the Thera-Band exercise protocol here. The patients then used a specific color of Thera-Band resistance corresponding to the prescribed intensity (% of an isometric manual muscle test). Subjects also performed stretching and cardiovascular exercise. A physical therapist supervised the program 2 days a week. At the end of the 6-week program, there were no injuries, pain, edema, or bleeding episodes reported. The patients significantly More >
Neuromuscular exercise program effective for ACL Rehabilitation
Mar 16th
Rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction usually involves 6 months of physical therapy, including strength and balance exercises. Traditional ACL rehab has focused on increasing strength of knee and lower extremity muscles. More recently, “neuromuscular” exercise programs that de-emphasize strength training have been used successfully in Europe.
Physical therapy researchers in Norway compared 2 types of ACL rehabilitation in 74 post operative patients. In the study, published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, patients were randomly assigned to a traditional exercise program or a neuromuscular exercise program. The neuromuscular program (described in a separate study) included balance exercises on foam pads, wobble boards, and mini-trampolines. Download their rehabilitation protocol here. Plyometric and agility exercises were also included. Each group was tested for their strength, pain, function, and quality of life.
At a 2-year follow-up, the neuromuscular exercise group significantly increased in function and pain compared to the strengthening group, while the strengthening group only improved in hamstring strength. The authors suggested that both balance and strength exercises be included in ACL rehabilitation program. Thera-Band® Stability Trainers and balance boards are ideal for use in a neuromuscular rehabilitation program.
Reference: Risberg MA, Holm I. The long-term effect of 2 postoperative rehabilitation programs after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a randomized controlled clinical trial More >
Elastic bands effective at treating neck pain and whiplash
Mar 8th
“Whiplash” injuries are defined as sudden acceleration-deceleration of the head resulting in damage to the cervical spine. While most common in motor vehicle accidents (MVA), whiplash can occur as a result of other high-speed activities such as sports. Usually characterized by long-standing chronic neck pain and disability, studies have shown that patients with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) have specific patterns of muscle weakness and tightness. Exercise for whiplash and neck pain have been shown effective. Previous research by Dr. Jari Ylinen in Finland has shown that Thera-Band® resistance band exercises are effective at reducing chronic neck pain for up to 2 years. Click here to view Dr. Ylinen’s Thera-Band resistance band exercise protocol here.
Researchers in Norway wanted to compare 2 types of exercise programs on patients with whiplash. 25 patients were randomly assigned to a strength and endurance group or a “motor control” exercise group during 6 weeks of physical therapy. The motor control group performed 10 repetitions of deep neck flexor activation against an inflatable blood pressure cuff. The strengthening group used elastic bands to strengthen their neck muscles and dumbbells to strengthen the upper body. Each exercise was performed for 1 set of 15 to 20 repetitions; each session included a 5 minute More >
The Best Exercises for Rotator Cuff Strengthening
Mar 2nd
For years, the debate has continued on the ‘best’ exercises for strengthening shoulder muscles. Using electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity, researchers have attempted to determine which exercises have the highest levels of muscles activity for strengthening exercises. Several studies have examined EMG of common shoulder exercises to find the best exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff; in particular, the supraspinatus muscle. The “empty can” or “full can” exercises have been the most commonly performed exercise for supraspinatus strengthening, but controversy still exists in the literature.
While high muscle activation levels are often desirable, what’s more important is the relative activation of other muscles during the movement. For example, Dr. Michael Reinold and colleagues suggested in their 2007 paper that a good rotator cuff exercise should produce the greatest supraspinatus activity while minimizing the deltoid activation. Theoretically, reducing deltoid activation decreases the upward shear of the humerus during arm elevation, which may be desirable when prescribing exercise to strengthen the suprapsinatus in impingement patients.
In a study published in Medicine and Science and Sports and Exercise, subjects performed 5 isometric exercises in random order while measuring the EMG activity of the deltoid, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus. The exercises were: full can, empty can, prone elevation, elastic external More >
