Do the exercises performed with a theraband have an effect on knee muscle strength balances?

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

In the current literature, exercises performed using fitness equipment and body weight have been used in order to decrease the bilateral deficit (BLD) and increase the hamstring-quadriceps (H/Q) ratio. No studies have previously investigated the effect of therabands, which are both portable and practical to be used anywhere, in regard to the BLD and H/Q ratio.

OBJECTIVES:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of several 10-week lower extremity exercises performed through therabands on the BLD and H/Q ratio.

METHODS:

Twenty-seven voluntary male soccer players participated in the study. The players were categorized into the control group (CG) ( $n=$ 14) and the theraband exercise group (TBG) ( $n=$ 13). Theraband exercises for the lower extremity were performed by the soccer players in the TBG for four days every week over a 10-week period. The dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) leg concentric extension and flexion of the soccer players were determined through an isokinetic dynamometer at 30 ${}^{\circ }$ s ${}^{-1}$ and 240 ${}^{\circ }$ s ${}^{-1}$ angular velocities. The data were analyzed through SPSS 24. To determine the difference between the BLD, H/Q ratios, and pre- and post-test of peak torque (PT), the Wilcoxon test was employed.

RESULTS:

As a result of the analysis, it was found that the BLD for the TBG decreased, which was statistically significant ( $p<$ 0.05), whereas there were no statistically significant differences for the H/Q ratio for both the CG and TBG; the D and ND leg H/Q rate of the TBG at 240 ${}^{\circ }$ s ${}^{-1}$ angular velocity increased in the post-test.

CONCLUSIONS:

It was found that the exercises performed with the theraband were extremely efficient at increasing the PT and decreasing the BLD.