A new study has found that comparably high levels of muscle activation can be obtained during resistance exercises with dumbbells and elastic tubing, indicating that therapists can choose either type in clinical practice.

“We were interested in a study that would confirm that elastic resistance is as effective as isotonic resistance without the hassle of dumbbells,” said Phil Page, PhD, PT, ATC, director of research and education for Thera-Band Academy. “The convenience and accessibility of elastic bands and tubing can be very beneficial for patients continuing their exercises at home."

Lars L. Andersen, PhD, and Mette K. Zebis, PhD, researchers with the National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Copenhagen, Denmark, completed the recent study to investigate muscle activation and perceived loading during upper-extremity resistance exercises with dumbbells compared with elastic tubing.

“Many office workers report frequent trouble in the neck and shoulder area. Although resistance training with weights helps to relieve symptoms in many cases, we felt a need to test more accessible forms of exercise,” Andersen said. “In clinical practice and home-based rehabilitation, conventional resistance training devices may not always be feasible; thus, the effectiveness of alternative methods was investigated.”

The study involved 16 healthy female workers, 26 to 55 years of age, working in primarily sedentary jobs such as office workers and lab technicians. Testing was performed on all 16 participants with both elastic tubing and dumbbells.

Thera-Band^® elastic tubing of different resistances (red, green, blue, black, and silver) and standard iron dumbbells were the exercise equipment chosen for the study, along with three rehabilitation exercises; one with a large range of motion (shoulder lateral raise), one with a small range of motion (wrist extension), and one involving joint rotation (external rotation).

Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured in five selected muscles during the exercises, and the order of exercises and loadings was randomized for each participant. Electromyographic amplitude was normalized to the absolute maximum EMG amplitude obtained during testing. Immediately after each set of exercises, the Borg CR10 scale was used to rate perceived loading during the exercise.

Results of the study showed that resistance exercise with dumbbells as well as elastic tubing increased EMG amplitude and perceived loading with increasing resistance. The normalized EMG activity of the five muscles was not significantly different between dumbbells (59% to 87%) and elastic tubing (64% to 86%). Perceived loading using the Borg CR10 scale was moderately to very strongly related to normalized EMG activity (R=.59 to .92).

“Comparably high levels of muscle activation were obtained during resistance exercises with dumbbells and elastic tubing,” Andersen continued. “This indicates that therapists can choose either type in clinical practice, allowing them to customize rehabilitation programs.”

The study appears online ahead of print on in the journal Physical Therapy.

The Thera-Band Academy provided the Thera-Band exercise tubing used in the study, but did not fund the study.