TheraBand Academy Announces Top 10 Stories from 2013 - Fitness, Rehab and Pain Reduction Receive Most Popular Topic Honors
Akron, OH (PRWEB) January 16, 2014 -- The TheraBand™ Academy, established to scientifically document the benefits of exercise and pain management, supports healthcare practice through research and education. The TheraBand Academy Blog, which was launched in 2009, encourages connectivity and communication on exercise and pain management to enhance the patient / healthcare provider relationship. The blog is written and managed by Phil Page, PhD, PT, ATC, CSCS, FACSM, Global Director of Clinical Education and Research for Performance Health.
“I’m not surprised by the similarity of this year’s top 10 list as compared to past years’. More and more healthcare providers and consumers are looking for evidence to support healthcare interventions, particularly on the Internet,” stated Dr. Page. “With the daunting amount and increasing complexity of available information, we strive to provide summaries of impactful research through our blog that can be easily understood by professionals as well as consumers.” The top 10 stories were chosen based on the number of views they received in 2013.
Top 10 Academy Blog Posts
Upper body TheraBand exercises good for core muscle activation- Researchers in South Korea found that TheraBand elastic resistance shoulder extension and horizontal abduction can be recommended for low back pain patients who cannot perform trunk stabilization exercises directly. Furthermore, they stated that stroke patients with trunk muscle deficits may also benefit from the exercise. The findings were published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science.
Quantifying torque in elastic resistance exercises (Part I)- Italian scientist Andrea Biscarini published an article in the Medical Engineering and Physics journal that supports the concept of elastic resistance exercise dosing, where properly positioning the elastic band and the patient during exercise will optimize muscle activation throughout the entire range of motion.
TheraBand home exercises as effective as formal therapy for rotator cuff tears- Researchers in Germany studied the effectiveness of home-based exercises to supervised therapy. Their findings, published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, showed that 66% of patients in both the home exercise and outpatient therapy groups improved their clinical test of shoulder impingement. Both groups also improved in pain, range of motion, strength and function.
TheraBand exercises as part of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) Program- Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) is a relatively new therapeutic exercise progression based on developmental sequencing. DNS was developed by Dr. Pavel Kolar, a physiotherapist in the Czech Republic. Dr. Clare Frank, PT, recently authored a review of DNS in sports rehabilitation that was published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. The article featured several TheraBand exercises designed to facilitate dynamic core stability for optimal athletic performance.
TheraBand exercise has global effect on reducing chronic muscle pain- Professor Lars Andersen and his colleagues in Copenhagen, Denmark at the National Research Center for the Working Environment have studied the positive effects of TheraBand exercises on office workers with chronic neck and shoulder pain. This team recently published another randomized, controlled trial (the highest level of evidence) in the journal Pain Physician and concluded that a single, two-minute set of lateral raise exercise with TheraBand tubing can change pain perception, providing “evidence of central adaptation of pain perception in response to rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain.” Because chronic musculoskeletal pain is mediated by the central nervous system, these findings suggest exercise has both a local and global influence on the structure and function of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
Simple TheraBand exercise for neck pain patients improves muscle function and reduces pain- Researchers in Denmark published a paper in Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging on the effects of a daily TheraBand progressive resistance training program on rapid force development during shoulder abduction. After a 10-week program, both exercise groups significantly improved their rate of force development by 16% to 18%, while maximal strength only increased 5%-6%. There were no changes in the non-exercise control group. This suggested that the patients may have improved their speed of contraction and resultant muscle power. Interestingly, pain was significantly related to the improvement in the rate of force development, but not related to strength.
Balance training progression for ankle rehabilitation exercises- A study out of Spain had subjects perform 12 exercises in a random order while surface EMG was measured for three ankle muscles. While the range of EMG activation levels were relatively small, the authors recommended progressing ankle exercises from bilateral exercise on an exercise ball to one-leg stance on a Stability Trainer in combination with TheraBand elastic tubing to achieve progressively greater activation of ankle muscles. The study results were published in Gait and Posture.
Roller Massager increases flexibility in seconds without impairing performance- Researchers from Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada found that the TheraBand Roller Massager “can provide statistically significant increases in ROM” without any significant effect on muscle strength, which might be beneficial as part of an immediate warm-up prior to an athletic event. The study was published in The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.
Which passive exercises are best for post-op rotator cuff patients? - A paper in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery examined the EMG levels of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles of the rotator cuff, which are the most commonly injured. The study suggests that TheraBand scapular retraction and shoulder pulley exercises can be added to early post-operative rehabilitation after more passive and active-assisted ROM exercises have been performed.
TheraBand group exercise program improves fitness among older adults- Researchers in Japan, led by Dr. Nobuo Takeshima, compared fitness outcomes of a TheraBand group exercise program with two walking group interventions. The study in Journal of Sports Science and Medicine showed that a 12-week group exercise program with progressive TheraBand resistance exercises significantly increases strength and flexibility in older adults, while walking also improved cardio respiratory fitness.
About the Academy
The TheraBand Academy was formed to scientifically document the benefits of resistance exercise and pain relief, guide the company in its development of new products and exercise programs, and to promote therapeutic exercise and pain management through professional and consumer education. The Academy web site is a unique resource that connects healthcare professionals and consumers to the ever growing body of knowledge on exercise. Registration is free and provides access to the largest database of rehab exercises, protocols, research and education in the world.
About Performance Health
Featuring leading brands like Biofreeze®, TheraBand™, Cramer®, Prossage® and Pedigenix®, Performance Health offers a broad portfolio of products for the therapy, rehabilitation, wellness, massage, sports medicine, performance and podiatric markets. In addition to market-leading products, Performance Health provides practice building support, evidence-based protocols, clinical and product education, turn-key dispensing and pain management solutions.
Jane Steger, Performance Health, http://www.performancehealth, +1 (330) 634-2281, [email protected]
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