EMS Decreases Back Pain, Increases Core Strength, Endurance

“Effects of electrical stimulation program on trunk muscle strength, functional capacity, quality of life, and depression in the patients with low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Rheumatol Int. 2009 Jun;29(8):947-54.” Right now this is my favorite electric muscle stimulation (EMS) study with regards to low back pain as I read it soon after I … Read more

Eccentric calf muscle training in non-athletic patients with Achilles tendinopathy

Eccentric calf muscle training in non-athletic patients with Achilles tendinopathy. Sayana MK, Maffulli N. J Sci Med Sport. 2007 Feb;10(1):52-8. Epub 2006 Jul 7. AbstractOBJECTIVE: Achilles tendinopathy is prevalent in athletes, but can also affect sedentary patients. We studied the effects of eccentric exercises in sedentary non-athletic patients with Achilles tendinopathy.METHODS: Thirty-four sedentary patients (18 … Read more

Surgical Treatment vs. Eccentric Training for Jumper’s Knee

Surgical treatment compared with eccentric training for patellar tendinopathy (Jumper’s Knee). A randomized, controlled trial. Bahr R, Fossan B, Løken S, Engebretsen L. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2006 Aug;88(8):1689-98. Abstract BACKGROUND: Although the surgical treatment of patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) is a common procedure, there have been no randomized, controlled trials comparing this treatment … Read more

Tennis Elbow: Ice Has Zero Effect

A controlled clinical pilot trial to study the effectiveness of ice as a supplement to the exercise programme for the management of lateral elbow tendinopathy. Manias P, Stasinopoulos D. Br J Sports Med. 2006 Jan;40(1):81-5. AbstractBACKGROUND: The use of ice as a supplement to an exercise programme has been recommended for the management of lateral … Read more

Jumper’s Knee, Eccentric Better than Concentric Exercise?

Superior results with eccentric compared to concentric quadriceps training in patients with jumper’s knee: a prospective randomized study. Jonsson P, Alfredson H. Br J Sports Med. 2005;39(11):847-850. AbstractBACKGROUND: A recent study reported promising clinical results using eccentric quadriceps training on a decline board to treat jumper’s knee (patellar tendinosis). METHODS: In this prospective study, athletes … Read more

Getting the Most out of Your Total Knee, Strength Matters

So I read ALL of Dr. Tarlow’s blog, who first suggested I start a blog on my own. It took me a few weeks but I read every post, and learned A LOT about knee surgery from the surgeon’s perspective.  One topic he wrote about that sticks in my memory showed the more you like … Read more

Standard PRE as Good as Eccentric Exercise for Jumper’s Knee in Season Volleyball

No effect of eccentric training on jumper’s knee in volleyball players during the competitive season: a randomized clinical trial. Visnes H, Hoksrud A, Cook J, Bahr R. Clin J Sport Med. 2005 Jul;15(4):227-34. AbstractBACKGROUND: The effect of surgery on patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) is questionable, and conservative treatment protocols have not been properly documented. PURPOSE: … Read more

Decline Squats for Volleyball Players with Patellar Tendinopathy

Eccentric decline squat protocol offers superior results at 12 months compared with traditional eccentric protocol for patellar tendinopathy in volleyball players. Young MA, Cook JL, Purdam CR, Kiss ZS, Alfredson H. Br J Sports Med. 2005 Feb;39(2):102-5. Erratum in: Br J Sports Med. 2005 Apr;39(4):246. AbstractBACKGROUND: Conservative treatment of patellar tendinopathy has been minimally investigated. … Read more

Eccentric Training and Neovascularisation in Achilles Tendinosis

Effects on neovascularisation behind the good results with eccentric training in chronic mid-portion Achilles tendinosis? Ohberg L, Alfredson H. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2004 Sep;12(5):465-70. Epub 2004 Apr 2. Abstract The background to the good clinical results reported using painful eccentric calf-muscle training as treatment for chronic painful mid-portion Achilles tendinosis is not known. … Read more

Low Back Pain. Free Weights Good, Weight Machines and Stretching Bad — It’s Science.

Are flexibility and muscle-strengthening activities associated with a higher risk of developing low back pain? J Sci Med Sport. 2013 Aug 8 The researchers followed 4610 adults and compared their exercise program and incidence of low back pain over an average of 4.9 years. Quotes from the study:“CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, stretching or use of … Read more

Eccentric Calf Muscle Training for Achilles Tendinitis

Chronic Achilles tendon pain treated with eccentric calf-muscle training. Fahlström M, Jonsson P, Lorentzon R, Alfredson H. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2003 Sep;11(5):327-33. Epub 2003 Aug 26. Abstract Injuries involving the Achilles tendon and manifested as chronic tendon pain are common, especially among recreational athletes. In a pilot study on a small group of … Read more

Decline Squats for Patellar Tendinopathy

A pilot study of the eccentric decline squat in the management of painful chronic patellar tendinopathy. Purdam CR, Jonsson P, Alfredson H, Lorentzon R, Cook JL, Khan KM. Br J Sports Med. 2004 Aug;38(4):395-7. AbstractOBJECTIVES: This non-randomised pilot study investigated the effect of eccentric quadriceps training on 17 patients (22 tendons) with painful chronic patellar … Read more

Drop Squats vs. Leg Extension/ Curl for Jumper’s Knee

A randomised clinical trial of the efficacy of drop squats or leg extension/leg curl exercises to treat clinically diagnosed jumper’s knee in athletes: pilot study. Cannell LJ, Taunton JE, Clement DB, Smith C, Khan KM. Br J Sports Med. 2001 Feb;35(1):60-4. AbstractOBJECTIVES: To compare the therapeutic effect of two different exercise protocols in athletes with … Read more

Eccentric Training for Lateral Epicondylitis

Non-operative treatment regime including eccentric training for lateral humeral epicondylalgia. Svernlov B, Adolfsson L. Scand J Med Sci Sports. Dec 2001;11(6):328-334. Abstract In a pilot study 38 patients with lateral humeral epicondylalgia were randomly allocated to two treatment groups. Group S (stretching) was treated with a contract-relax-stretching program while group E (eccentric exercise) underwent an … Read more

Eccentric vs. Concentric Training in Achilles Tendinitis

Superior short-term results with eccentric calf muscle training compared to concentric training in a randomized prospective multicenter study on patients with chronic Achilles tendinosis. Mafi N, Lorentzon R, Alfredson H. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2001;9(1):42-47. Abstract In a previous uncontrolled pilot study we demonstrated very good clinical results with eccentric calf muscle training on … Read more

Eccentric Overload Training and Chronic Achilles Tendinitis

Eccentric overload training for patients with chronic Achilles tendon pain–a randomised controlled study with reliability testing of the evaluation methods. Silbernagel KG, Thomeé R, Thomeé P, Karlsson J. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2001 Aug;11(4):197-206. Abstract The purpose was to examine the reliability of measurement techniques and evaluate the effect of a treatment protocol including … Read more

Isokinetic Eccentric Exercise for Recurrent Tendinitis

Treatment of recurrent tendinitis by isokinetic eccentric exercise. Croisier J-L, Forthomme B, Foidart-Dessalle M, Godon B, Crielaard J-M. Isokinetics and Exercise Science. 2001;9:133-141.  Diagnosis:  9 Achilles, 10 patellar, and 15 lateral epicondyllar Outcome:  15/34 patients had complete relief of symptoms, 10/34 had marked decrease in symptoms, 5/34 had moderate decrease in symptoms, and 4/34 had … Read more

Hip Abduction Strength More Important to Function than Quadriceps after TKA

Hip abduction strength more important to function than quadriceps after Total Knee Arthroplasty. Physical Therapy. Feb 2011; 91(2): 225–233. From the study: Measurements Strength of quadriceps muscles and hip abductors was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Performance-based physical function was assessed with 4 measures: self-selected walking speed, the Figure-of-8 Walk Test, the Stair Ascend/Descend Test, … Read more

Heavy Load Eccentric Training for Achilles Tendinosis

Heavy-load eccentric calf muscle training for the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinosis. Alfredson H, Pietila T, Jonsson P, R. L. Am J Sports Med. 1998;26(3):360-366. Abstract We prospectively studied the effect of heavy-load eccentric calf muscle training in 15 recreational athletes (12 men and 3 women; mean age, 44.3 +/- 7.0 years) who had the … Read more

Evaluation of Eccentric Exercise in Treatment of Patellar Tendinitis

Evaluation of eccentric exercise in treatment of patellar tendinitis. Jensen K, Di Fabio RP. Physical Therapy. 1989 Mar;69(3):211-6. Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a quadriceps femoris muscle eccentric training program on strength gain in patients with patellar tendinitis. The effect of an eight-week eccentric exercise program on quadriceps … Read more

Original Eccentric Exercise/Tendinitis Study

Eccentric exercise in chronic tendinitis.Stanish WD, Rubinovich RM, Curwin S. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1986 Jul;(208):65-8. AbstractChronic tendinitis, particularly of the Achilles tendon, frequently outwits traditional programs of therapy including surgery and/or prolonged immobilization. A hypothesis proposes that disruption of the tendon, micro or macro, occurs under specific conditions of eccentric loading. In order for … Read more