TheraBand exercise may improve stroke patient stability

April 22, 2014

Stroke patients with hemiparesis often have poor trunk stability due to weakness of their abdominal muscles. This proximal weakness makes balance, upright sitting, head control, and arm movements difficult for stroke patients. Trunk strengthening exercises are usually performed with typical abdominal flexion or rotation, but these may be difficult for some patients with paresis. Researchers […]

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Top 5 reasons why my APTA Membership Matters

April 21, 2014

After recognizing the American Physical Therapy Association‘s “Membership Matters” last week, I wanted to give you my top 5 reasons that I’ve been a member of the APTA since I was a PT student at LSU…over 20 years ago (Geaux Tigers!) I am a member of several professional organizations, and try to participate as much as possible […]

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Elastic resistance training supports white blood cell counts in cancer patients

April 16, 2014

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy often have reduced red and white blood cell counts due to bone marrow suppression. Both red and white blood cells are produced in the bone marrow before being released into the blood through a process called hematopoiesis. Decreases in red blood cells can lead to increased fatigue, while decreases in white […]

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Warm-up with TheraBand Roller Massager improves flexibility and muscle performance

April 3, 2014

Static stretching is often performed as part of a warm-up prior to exercise or sports. While static stretching can increase flexibility and range of motion, it’s also associated with an immediate decrease in muscle performance. Myofascial rolling has recently increased in popularity as part of both warm-up and recovery to improve range of motion and […]

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TheraBand Roller Massager reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

March 31, 2014

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is common after strenuous or unaccustomed exercise. Muscle soreness appears about 24 to 48 hours after the activity, and sometimes takes a few additional days to subside. DOMS is thought to result from inflammation occurring after strenuous exercise that damages connective tissue in muscle. DOMS causes muscle soreness, reduced range […]

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TheraBand exercise combined with whole-body vibration beneficial for diabetes patients

March 27, 2014

Type 2 diabetes is often acquired as we age and become more sedentary. It’s typically accompanied by a shift in body composition toward higher body fat and a decreased ability to produce glucose in the muscle. Exercise is often recommended for Type 2 diabetics as a first-line of treatment. While aerobic exercise is important for […]

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Home-based exercise after hip fracture rehab improves function and mobility in older adults

February 26, 2014

A quarter million (250,000) Americans break their hip each year, and only half of those individuals remain independent at 2 years after their fracture. While physical therapy is standard after hip fracture, it may not be enough. A 2004 study found that additional outpatient physical therapy after standard hip fracture rehabilitation is beneficial, but may […]

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Foam rolling effective for both warm-up and recovery

February 24, 2014

Myofascial foam rolling has become a popular tool as part of both warm-up and cool down prior to activity. Despite its popularity, little research has been performed on the mechanisms or efficacy of foam rolling. Researchers at Memorial University in Canada have led the way with the first published studies on the effectiveness of foam […]

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Throwback Thursday: Exercise as good as surgery for knee patients

January 30, 2014

In March of 2009, I posted an article about a study that compared physical therapy to knee surgery for osteoarthritis patients, Exercise as good as surgery for knee osteoarthritis. The study, A Randomized Trial of Arthroscopic Surgery for Osteoarthritis of the Knee, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008. The researchers found that physical therapy including […]

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Hand arthritis patients benefit from massage plus Biofreeze® topical analgesic

January 23, 2014

Massage therapy has shown promise in the relief of pain associated with osteoarthritis. Although the underlying mechanisms are unclear, moderate pressure massage has been associated with changes in pain modulating systems. Biofreeze topical analgesic has been shown effective at reducing knee osteoarthritis pain and improving functional tasks (Topp et al. 2013). Researchers at the Touch […]

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