Attention Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists: Trigger Point Therapy Can Be Easier

As a therapist, if a patient sees you with a constant tenderness or pain in a specific muscle,  you might want to recommend trigger point therapy to them. This kind of therapy can alleviate the direct source of the pain as well as any referred pain, and for some patients relief can occur after just one session.

According to the National Association of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists, trigger points are “painful when pressed on, cause a shortening of the muscle fibers, and have a special property called referred pain. Referred pain means that a trigger point in one muscle can create pain in another area.” You likely have experienced this kind of injury if you have suffered from a muscle strain. The example the association gives is that if a muscle in your shoulder is injured, the trigger point there can refer pain up into your neck, resulting in a headache. A person may go to a massage therapist or a physical therapist complaining of neck aches or headaches, but the problem may actually be in a completely different place.

According to the website MassageEnvy.com, trigger point therapy consists of the therapist applying and then releasing pressure while the patient guides the therapist as to what areas are most painful or tender. The patient may also be instructed to breathe deeply to help loosen the muscles a little while the pressure is applied.

Trigger point therapy can be extremely effective for patients, but it can take a toll on the therapist as you know first hand if you are a therapist who offers this kind of treatment. Because of the pressure that trigger point therapy requires, therapists sometimes experience fatigue in their hands, fingers, or arms. In order to offer patients the benefits of trigger point therapy without risking injury, therapists might want to consider the Acuforce® line of products, which are made of a unique material that will feel as comfortable as a therapist’s hands for the patient. The tools use their own weight to help the therapist apply pressure. These products can also be used with oils and lotions. Because the tools are weighted, the therapist can offer a longer session with less fatigue, thus further benefitting the patient as well.

Trigger point therapy is often mentioned as a highly beneficial treatment that can ease pain for patients almost immediately in some cases. However, the toll that this kind of rigorous therapy can take on the therapists is seldom a point of discussion. If you are a therapist who offers your patients the option of trigger point therapy, do not assume that you have to injure your own muscles as part of the job.

Eight Benefits of Pilates Training

Over the last few years, you may have heard a lot about Pilates training. It has become an increasingly popular way to get in shape and stay fit, but what is it exactly, and why is it beneficial?

Pilates.com defines Pilates as a mind-body exercise. The site goes on to explain that Pilates is an “activity that keys on the mental focus of the physical movements being performed. With this type of exercise quality of movement is stressed over quantity of movement. You’ll often see instructors using a lot of verbal “cues” and coaching on things like the quality of breathing, rhythmic inhalation and exhalation during the exercise, and proper body alignment.” In this way, Pilates is comparable to other exercise techniques like Yoga.

There are many benefits to this type of exercise. We offer eight below. As always, however, it is important that you consult a physician before beginning any new exercise routine. Moreover, because Pilates can be practiced at varying levels of difficulty, it may be a good idea to begin with a trainer or a class and then move to at-home practicing on your own. With that, here are some benefits of Pilates training.

1. More Body Control

The Pilates.com website suggests that because Pilates involves mindful movement accompanied by deep breathing, you learn over time to more efficiently control your body’s movements. As you practice holding certain positions or creating more fluid movements, your ability to control each party of your body improves.

2. A Stronger Core

We’ve talked before about how important it is to build a strong core. Many Pilates exercises focus on the lower back and abdominal area, and because many of the exercises can be less strenuous than other core-building exercises, you are able to build muscle without a lot of strain.

3. Body Awareness

When you practice mindful exercise, a trainer might advise you to “check in with your body.” As you focus on different movements and different muscle groups, you may find that some areas are painful even though you hadn’t really noticed. You may notice that some muscles are more or less flexible than others. As you become more aware of your body, you can also increase how efficient your workouts are.

4. Increase Flexibility

Flexibility is important because it can help us prevent muscle injury. Pilates.com notes that unlike tactics like weight lifting, which can build short, bulky muscles, Pilates builds long, lean muscles. This type of muscle is more elastic and hence allows for more flexibility.

5. Build Muscle

As noted above, Pilates helps build and strengthen muscle, but not in the same way that weightlifting does. The process is less intense and builds a different, more elastic type muscle than weight lifting does.

6. Prevent Injury

With some workouts, you may emphasize strengthening one group of muscles without strengthening the surrounding muscle groups. If one muscle or muscle group is stronger than the surrounding muscles, injury can occur. Pilates exercises most major muscle groups at the same time and at the same pace, so injury is less likely to occur.

7. Move More Efficiently

Increased body control and body awareness can also help you move with more fluid motions. Eventually, regular participation in mind-body exercises leads to that same kind of mindful movement even when you are not engaged in your exercise regimen.

8. Gentle But Challenging

Finally, Pilates is beneficial, especially if you have not previously had a stringent exercise routine, because the individual exercises are challenging but not overly taxing. You have the freedom to only push yourself as hard as you wish, and you can build up strength and flexibility over time.

There are two main ways to practice Pilates to experience these benefits. You can use Pilates-specific equipment or you can limit your training to mat work. WebMd.com notes that one benefit of matwork is that it is far more portable, which means you will be more likely to continue your training even if you are on vacation. If you are considering a mat for Pilates training, you may want to look at our Airex Exercise Mats. These Airex mats are ideal for Pilates training because they are soft, cushioned, easy to clean, and include an anti-microbial treatment. In past years, Airex has been proud to be the mat sponsor for the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) annual conference.

Do you practice Pilates? What benefits have you realized from this type of exercise? We’d love to hear from you!

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Balance Training for Seniors – The Why and the How

According to NIHSeniorHealth, in the year 2008 33.4 million American adults reported that they were having problems with either dizziness or balance. Many different conditions can cause either or both of these problems. As the site summarizes, some of these conditions include BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo), Labyrinthitis, and Ménière’s Disease. As we become older, falls that result from dizziness or balance problems can have severe repercussions including broken bones.

Some balance problems can be signs of more severe conditions like stroke or MS, so it is very important to see a doctor if you have continued balance problems or dizziness. If your condition is one of those mentioned above, there are many methods of treatment your doctor may recommend. For example, if your doctor believes your balance problem is being caused by a build-up of fluids in the ear, he or she may suggest you reduce the amount of sodium in your diet. In other cases, your doctor may suggest gentle exercises that can help loosen particle build-ups in your ears.

Balance Exercises

Even if you are not currently experiencing balance problems, you might be advised to do some exercises on a regular basis that can help you maintain or improve your current balance skills. The Mayo Clinic offers a few suggestions for exercises that can help build balance. There are also some good videos available on Youtube. When you try any of these, make sure someone is watching you the first few times in case you lose your balance.

Some basic balance exercises from ACE Fitness

Some agility and balance exercise ideas for seniors

Exercises that can be done using a chair as support

No matter what kinds of balance exercises you are engaging in, the right kind of support surface can be very helpful. You might want to explore our Airex® Exercise Mats and Balance Products if you are going to be doing a lot of balance training. The mats offer gentle support for your feet and are comfortable to stand on, which can also help build confidence as you strive to improve your balance. Preferred by many physical therapists, the destabilizing characteristics of the Airex Balance Pad and Beam create the ideal training products for balance and core stability.

Balance can decrease as we get older, but it does not have to leave us. Balance is one of those facets of life that can actually be improved simply by consistently doing the work. If you are suffering from issues due to dizziness or imbalance, visit your doctor and see what is recommended for you.

Ten Tips for Caring for a Stroke Patient at Home

One of the difficult things about strokes is that it is virtually impossible to tell how long the patient will suffer from the repercussions of the stroke or how severe those repercussions will be. In some cases, a patient may be ready to go home, and a facility may be ready to release them, long before they have returned to a “normal” state of affairs. At this point, the patient’s family needs to determine whether they can bear the responsibility of caring for the patient at home.

If your family is in the position to provide home-based healthcare for a stroke patient, or if you know a family who is preparing for that journey, here are ten tips that we hope will be helpful.

1. Be ready to transport the patient to wherever he or she needs to go

There will be a lot of follow-up visits, perhaps visits to different rehab centers, and other types of appointments that the stroke patient will not be able to miss regularly. Offering transportation to a family member who needs to be present at many appointments throughout a week can be very stressful, especially if everyone in the family is working. Try to make sure that everyone in the family contributes as much as possible to these efforts, keep everyone’s tanks full of gas, and try to plan out trips so that multiple errands can be completed as often as possible.

2. Help plan out the patient’s day

Both Stroke.org and caregiver.com suggest that stroke patients do better when they are able to get into a routine of care. This is not to say that every day should be exactly the same, but patients should have certain expectations. For example, rehab exercise first, followed by breakfast, etc.

3. Help the patient with prescribed exercises

After a stroke, a patient may be given specific exercises to help build up muscle strength. You might work with your loved one on a resistive exercise program that might include our latex-free REP Band® resistive exercise bands, or perhaps your loved one might be advised to do wrist and hand strengthening exercises for which you could use our Eggsercizer® Resistive Hand Exerciser. If you are helping a patient with any kind of exercise, make sure you are 100% clear on the correct positioning during the exercises and that you are able to help the patient prevent falls or other issues.

4. Help the patient with personal hygiene

It is very important that stroke patients remain clean, especially if they are sedentary for long periods of time. Again, make sure you are carefully trained on how to gently help a patient without risking injury.

5. Help the patient eat and drink

Some stroke patients are able to feed themselves shortly after leaving the hospital, but for other patients dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing) can develop. This is a dangerous condition because food particulates can get caught in the lungs which can then cause serious infection and other problems. Your loved one’s doctor may recommend using a product like Provale™ Cup so that you can safely measure a proper amount of food or liquid for the patient to swallow.

6. Be ready to communicate creatively

Sometimes stroke patients have a difficult time speaking after they have been released from the hospital. Speech therapy can help in many cases, but it might be a good idea to devise other ways you can communicate with your loved one so that they can verbalize their thoughts without getting overly frustrated.

7. Be prepared to advocate for your loved one

Advocating for a stroke patient can mean many different things. It can mean speaking on behalf of the patient at appointments, identifying problems you are noticing (perhaps the patient is having increased difficulty in swallowing or in breathing), or making sure the patient’s desires are met as much as possible. This can be difficult territory and can be extremely stressful.

8. Be prepared to handle the paperwork

Between insurance forms and bill-paying, you are going to have to offer a lot of support for your loved one in regards to handling all of the paperwork associated with the healthcare team. This again can be a source of stress for you and frustration for your loved one. Organization and a clear head are important.

9. Be ready for your loved one to feel frustrated or depressed

There will be times that will be very trying for the stroke patient. Perhaps they are frustrated because they want to get a point across but you can’t clearly understand them. Maybe they just want to complete a simple action but are not able to do it, or maybe they simply feel their recovery is not moving fast enough. It’s important to be able to offer support and hope for these difficult times.

10. Be ready for your own feelings of depression or frustration

As the Stroke.org website reminds you, you are not alone. Caring for a loved one who is recovering from a stroke can be exhausting, sad, frustrating, frightening, and stressful. Make sure your family has a support system. Make sure you take care of yourself along with the person for whom you are caring. This is essential.

Of course these tips are a simplification of all that is involved in caring for a patient who is recovering from a stroke. However, this is a good starting point that may assist you in deciding whether this is something you and your family can do. We hope it helps.

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Preventing Work-Related Hand Injuries

Regardless of what kind of job you have, it is highly probable that you use your hands to get your work done. For many people, use of the hands is something that is required with little rest for eight hours or more. Whether you have an office job where you are at a keyboard all day or whether you work other jobs that require a lot of repetitive motions, your hands are vulnerable to injury the more they are used.

Hands can be injured in a myriad of ways. On the job, one of the most common causes of injury is Repetitive Strain Injury, or RSI. RSI can be caused by a repeated motion like clicking on a mouse, pinching your hand together over long periods of time like we do to type on our smart phones, or it can be caused by using heavy machinery that causes the muscles in our hands and arms to vibrate.

Of course, it is not realistic to think that you can change the key components of your job so that you can avoid RSI, but there are ways to strengthen the muscles and tendons of your hands and wrists so that they can be more resistant to these types of injuries.

1. Make sure your posture is good – It may not seem like posture can be a key in keeping your hands pain-free, but as we have noted many times on this blog already, posture is about making sure your muscles are properly aligned. Improper pressure at one point can cause pain in your hands, your feet, your lower back, and elsewhere.

2. Take plenty of breaks – Of course we can’t condone slacking off, but it is important to take a break every now and then. The key word in RSI is “repetitive.” Break up some of the activity throughout the day, or try to change up your routine a little as your work permits.

3. Stretch your hands before, during, and after you engage in your tasks – Our Eggsercizer® Hand Exerciser is the perfect product for exercising your hands and wrists during the work day. With different levels of resistance and different types of exercises possible with the Eggsercizer, you can make sure your hands and fingers are stretched and cared for throughout the day. For an idea of what kinds of exercises you can do with Eggsercizer, take a look at this video.

Of course, if you are concerned that you might be developing RSI or if you think you could be prone to this type of injury because of your work, it is best to first talk to your doctor and find out what he or she recommends. This holds particularly true if you are already experiencing pain in your hands, fingers, or wrists.

Healthy hands are a great gift. Make sure you do what you can to avoid work-related hand injuries!

How to Whip Whiplash

If you are an automobile driver, you are probably aware of and may have already suffered from a condition called Whiplash. The Whiplash Prevention Campaign notes that Whiplash is one of the most common injuries people suffer as a result of car accidents, even those accidents that seem minor. Basically, Whiplash occurs as the head is moved far forward and then far backwards swiftly because of impact. Oddly, velocity does not seem to be a good indicator as to whether a person will end up suffering from Whiplash. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being hit at the exact wrong time and when your head is at the exact wrong angle.

Preventing Whiplash

There seems to be general agreement among the sources we have reviewed that the best way to treat Whiplash is to find ways to avoid it altogether. One of the best ways to accomplish that goal is to evaluate your car, especially the headrest of the driver’s seat. This page on the Whiplash Prevention Campaign site illustrates a lot of detail regarding what you need to look for in terms of the positioning of your seat and the position of your head while you are driving.

Because Whiplash affects the bones, muscles, and soft tissue in your neck, another good preventive method, although not 100% guaranteed, is to regularly strengthen those areas so that they can withstand shock and stress. We offered some tips on how to strengthen your neck muscles in our post about neck pain a couple of months ago.

Treating Whiplash

Depending on the severity of the Whiplash, it can be extremely easy or rather difficult to treat. Sometimes it disappears by itself and other times it can become a chronic problem. You should always see a physician after a car accident just to make sure that everything is ok. A visit to a chiropractor may also help as they will be able to tell if your neck is out of alignment. If it is believed you have Whiplash, you will probably start out with a brace, some painkillers and icepacks. If the situation continues or worsens, you may be advised to begin physical therapy.

Depending on your specific situation and what your physical therapist and physician determine is the  best course for you, you may want to explore the NeckPro® Cervical Traction Device, which is indicated for Whiplash among other conditions. You may also be encouraged to try the Pivotal Therapy System, which can assist in retaining proper spinal alignment.

Whiplash can lead to many other symptoms including dizziness. Make sure you keep your healthcare providers updated on your condition, and do not attempt any self-treatment without physician supervision as this could only make your condition worse.

We hope this helps!

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Five Tips for Marathon Training

Successfully completing a marathon is a great goal if you are interested in physical fitness and especially if you are interested in challenging yourself to the max. However, it is very important that you do not rush yourself and try to compete at an elite level too quickly. Preparing improperly for a marathon can result in a myriad of injuries and problems that can plague you long after your training period ends.

We have five tips today that can help make sure your marathon training is not only effective but also safe. However, before engaging in any kind of fitness activity, it is extremely important you consult with your doctor to make sure you are in good physical condition and will not be at risk for injury or other serious problems as you begin the training process. It is also important to note that the tips we have outlined here are primarily with the beginner in mind – a person who has not done much if any running but would like to take up the activity in a serious way.

1. Start with walking

RunnersWorld.com makes a very strong case for walking before you can run. It may sound cliché but truly, if you are new to running, you want to start by walking. Even if you are not planning on a marathon, walking can still be great exercise, especially if you walk at a brisk pace and swing your arms. With walking, high impact on  your legs, feet, and calves is also not as much of a concern as it can be with running, but you still get a lot of the exercise benefits that running offers. Be sure to build your walking up slowly. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself a little, but you want to make sure you build up your endurance over time.

2. Have a plan for building speed and distance slowly

Once you have been walking for awhile and are comfortable with that level of exercise, you can work your way up to running. However, going from walking to trying to run six miles is not a smart idea. Runnersworld.com offers some good ideas here regarding how you can begin to mix running in with your walking and then start to alternate between running a short distance and walking a short distance. Again, be sure you listen to your body. If you are feeling more sore than you think you should or if you are experiencing problems like shin splints or plantar fasciitis, you need to slow down and perhaps get some advice on how you can lessen the impact on your body during your training.

3. Get the best shoes possible

Whether you are walking or running, high-quality shoes are important. You may want to consider visiting a shoe store where they properly fit shoes. It’s not a bad idea to visit with a podiatrist or a pedorthist so that your feet can be examined. You might need shoes that can accommodate arch-lifts or you might need shoes that can accommodate other unique aspects of your feet. Before getting the perfect water bottle or the best ear buds for your iPod, make sure your feet are taken care of.

4. Mind your nutrition

Eating while you are training for a marathon is just as important as the exercise you are doing for your body. As this resource from marathonrookie.com points out, if you are currently trying a low-carb diet, you do not want to mix that effort with marathon training. In addition to eating properly, you want to make sure you don’t get into a cycle of “rewarding” yourself with treats as you increase the intensity of your work-outs.

5. Keep stretching

There are a lot of great exercises that can help you build muscle strength and endurance as you train for a marathon. This program offers a series of full-body stretches including exercises for the neck and shoulders. Using a resistance band like our REP Band® exercise bands can help make these exercises even more effective. There is a great list of resistance band exercises here that is broken down by different parts of the body. LiveStrong also offers a list of basic exercises for marathon runners like lunges and crunches.

Are you training for a marathon this summer? What has worked best for you? We’d love to hear from you!

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Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: Recreating Independence

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), 700,000 individuals suffer a stroke each year. Thanks to improvements in medical technology, NINDS estimates that two-thirds of stroke patients survive. While this is excellent news, this also means that the number of patients requiring help with post-stroke rehabilitation is steadily increasing.

Depending on the severity of the stroke, a patient can experience differing symptoms and different levels of complexity in recovering. Some of the more common issues a patient might struggle with after a stroke include emotional instability, muscle weakness or paralysis, trouble speaking, or dysphagia. As the Stroke Association describes on their website, dysphagia can be of particular concern for post-stroke patients because they might not sense that food is getting caught in their airways. This can lead to particles getting caught in the airway which can lead to much more significant problems.

NINDS suggests that the ultimate goal of rehabilitation after a patient suffers a stroke is to return the patient to some level of independent living. For some patients, a “normal” life may not be achievable, but different types of rehabilitation can assist patients in improving areas that were damaged by the stroke. Needless to say, undertaking any type of rehabilitative program after a stroke should be done under the watchful eye of a physician and/or therapist.

The National Stroke Association outlines three key types of rehabilitation. These are physical therapy, occupational therapy, and vision therapy.

Physical therapy, as you might expect, focuses on muscle weakness and balance issues with the goal of restoring a patient’s ability to move normally. The Neurology section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) specializes in this type of therapy.  The National Stroke Association also offers a PDF that recommends two different types of exercise programs for stroke patients. Some of these exercises incorporate the use of a resistive exercise band. The REP Band® family of resistive exercise bands and tubing would be ideal for these types of programs because they are non-latex and also offer different levels of resistance, so a patient could increase the difficulty of the workout as his or her strength returns.

Occupational therapy focuses on helping patients regain the ability to perform basic functions like eating and using the restroom. A sub-category of occupational therapy is speech therapy as many stroke patients need help in relearning how to formulate thoughts. If a patient is suffering from dysphagia, an occupational therapist might recommend a product like the Provale™ Cup, which lets a patient intake liquids in small, pre-measured amounts.

Finally, there is vision therapy. For this type of rehabilitation a patient will work with an opthalmologist or an optometrist. For some patients, the return of normal vision may not be possible. This depends in large part on how severely the brain was damaged by the stroke.

Rehabilitation after a stroke can be very frustrating for the patient, the patient’s family, and the patient’s caregivers. The desired goal is always a return to normal, but that journey can be long and arduous. The most important thing is to commit to rehabilitative exercises as prescribed and to avoid giving in to frustration. With a skilled team of medical professionals and constant medical improvements, stroke patients have a better chance than ever of finding that independence they so desire.

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A Stronger Core, A Stronger You

Over the last two weeks, we’ve talked about your back and how important it is not to slouch and we’ve talked about building stronger abdominals through resistive exercise. What you will often hear people talk about when they discuss exercise, building strength, or creating a happier, healthier, pain-free life is the body’s core. Core strengthening has become, in fact, quite a buzz phrase. What exactly does this mean, however?

What is your core?

Essentially, the core of the human body is considered the link between your arms and your legs. Your core muscles connect to the parts of your body that enable you to move. This Livestrong article goes into more detail and notes that the core consists of abdominal muscles, the hips, and the back. Each of these three areas can be further broken down into smaller groups of muscles. For example, when we talk about “abs” we are really talking about external obliques, internal obliques, and the transverse abdominis. Because the hips help leg movement, there are a lot of different muscles groups that need to work together. In just this area of the body, you have the glutes (gluteal muscles), the adductors, and more.

Because your core muscles are so important and so involved in your every day movements, it makes sense that if you have a weak core, you may be more prone to injury. The most common consequence of a weak core is a sore back. Your core muscles help keep your spine aligned and stabilized. The more you move, the more it is important to strengthen your core so that your back is always supported.

How to strengthen your core

Now that the importance of a strong core is clear, what can you do to make sure YOUR core is strong? Here are some exercises to consider. As always, discuss any exercise program with your physician before you begin.

The Plank: There are different variations of this exercise that you can do, including holding the plank position while lifting one arm or holding the position while lifting one leg. You can learn more about this exercise here.

The Hip Lift: Despite the name, this exercise actually benefits a lot of different muscle areas. Through repetitions you increase the difficulty of the exercise. You can learn more about this exercise here.

The following resistive exercises can be completed using our REP Band® Resistive Exercise Bands. Make sure to talk to a physician or fitness specialist to determine what your starting level of resistance should be.

The Rowboat: Loop a band around an extremely sturdy object like the leg of a heavy couch. Lean back, holding your arms straighter the further you lean back.  Push back in again, releasing the tension on the band. The exercise gets its name because the motion is similar to that of rowing a boat.

There are also 33 great resistive band exercises here, many of which will help strengthen your core. There is even a section dedicated specifically to core exercises towards the bottom.

The stronger your core, the better you’ll be able to move and the more pain-free you’ll be. It’s worth the time to make sure all of your core muscles are performing at the best level possible so that you can perform at your best level possible!

Resistive Exercises for Flatter Abs

Simple exercises with a system of progressive resistance bands can lead to great results – even for those challenging abdominals. Crunches used to be the main recommended solution for tightening the abs and flattening the tummy. Now, just as effective results can be attained in a progressive approach that addresses the specific needs and challenges of each individual according to his or her physical status and work-out objectives.

As with any exercise regimen, first check with your physician. It is also important to talk to a fitness professional to determine the best resistive band strength with which to start and how often you should do the exercises. From that point on, it is just a matter of adding your determination and dedication to regular and ongoing exercise and building up the level of resistance to achieve your desired results. As your progress improves, your fitness advisor may recommend that you move up to the next level of resistance with your bands. The complete portability of resistive bands also make them a natural for keeping up to the work-outs even when on business trips or on vacation.

Before You Begin

Prior to beginning exercise, make sure you choose the best exercise band for you.  If you are allergic to latex, you may want to try our REP Band® exercise bands.  They are latex-free, powder-free, and don’t have that “latex odor.”  REP Band products are available in our five-tiered, color-coded progressive resistance system.  We also have exercise tubing if you prefer.

With the right bands and a regimen selected for your health status, you are ready to begin. Following are a few simple exercises to help get you started. With all of these exercises, a fitness professional can help you determine the right strength of band to use and the sensible number of reps to perform as well as when to increase band resistance strength and exercise frequency.

Trunk Crunches

Attach your band to a stationary object located near the floor. Using a mat, lie on the floor on your back. Pull your feet toward the body until your knees are at a comfortable 45-degree angle. Keep your feet flat on the floor. Next, securely hold one end of the band in each hand and extend the arms directly above the body from the shoulders and at a right angle to the floor and close together making sure the band is taut but not stretched. Be sure the arms are straight but the elbows are soft. Now, while exhaling, gently curl the trunk upward until the shoulder blades lift off the floor. Hold the position for a moment and then gently return to the floor while inhaling. Repeat the crunch the number of times advised by your fitness professional. The number of curls and the resistance of the band can be changed to add to the toning and strengthening of the abdominals.

Trunk Rotations

Loop the band through one side of a chairback that is strong enough to securely handle the strain. Sit with good posture in the chair and with the abdominals engaged and your feet flat on the floor. Wrap the band-ends around the palm of one hand and position the arms at your side. Now, elevate the forearm so that it is at a 90-degree angle from the elbow. From this position, gently twist from the waist away from the direction where the band is secured and while exhaling. Hold the position for a moment, and then gently return to the starting position while inhaling. Throughout the exercise, keep the upper body straight, the legs motionless, and the feet flat on the floor. Reposition and do the same exercise for the same number of rotations on the other arm and side.

Side Bends

Stand upright, shoulders relaxed, abdominals engaged, and feet slightly separated. Hold one end of the band in the right hand and secure the other end by standing on it with the right foot. Be sure to position the band so that it is taut but not stretched between hand and foot. It is also important to be sure sufficient length of band is under the foot so that it will not slip out from under the foot when pulled. Keeping the body alignment straight, gently and smoothly lean your body to the left while keeping your right arm straight and the elbow soft. Hold the position for a moment and then slowly return to the original position. After completing a number of these bends, reposition and do the same exercise on the left side.

Seated Crunches

Sit with good posture in a chair with knees slightly apart and the feet flat on the floor. Wrap the resistive band around the back of the chair a little bit below shoulder blade level. Be sure the chair-back will not allow the band to slip and that it is strong enough to be pulled upon. With an end of the band in each hand, secure it under the arms with the elbows close to the sides of the body and the lower arm at a 90-degree angle to the body. With the body in an upright position and the abdominal muscles engaged, lean forward gently while exhaling until the body is at a 45-degree angle to the legs. Hold for a moment and slowly return to the upright position while gently inhaling.

Excellent results can be achieved through simple resistive exercises like these and the literally hundreds of others designed to achieve your personal exercise objectives. The first step may be the hardest – getting started!