May 23, 2014

Advances in Exercise, Fitness, Performance Genomics in 2013 The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has designated the month of May to recognize the importance of healthcare professionals prescribing exercise for their patients. Exercise Is Medicine ® (EIM), initiated by the ACSM, provides and promotes information for healthcare professionals and patients alike. Exercise is important for everyone, including healthy patients and those suffering with illness and disease. Performance Health, manufacturer of TheraBand products, is proud to promote the importance of exercise for overall health and the management of chronic diseases. “Exercise has been proven to be ‘medicine’ for several diseases. Research supports the effectiveness of exercise in the prevention of conditions such as cancer , arthritis and diabetes,” states Phil Page, PhD, PT, ATC, CSCS, FACSM, Global Director of Clinical Education and Research for Performance Health and committee member of the EIM initiative. Despite the evidence, exercise prescription remains low among some healthcare providers. In addition, there are barriers for patients to exercise including facilities and equipment, specific programming, and lack of time. “Our research-based, economical and ‘easy-to-use-anywhere’ TheraBand products eliminate many of these patient barriers,” continued Dr. Page. The First Step to Active Health ® program, which was developed in conjunction with the ACSM and designed by experts under the National Blueprint to Increase Physical Activity, is a comprehensive, customizable and progressive activity program for inactive older adults. “The First Step to Active Health program is based on a scientific foundation for exercise intervention and provides tools to access and individualize activity programs and strategies to encourage patients to become more active. The program has been shown to increase physical activity and function in several populations including arthritis, obesity and diabetes ,” concluded Dr. Page. In addition to being Exercise Is Medicine month, May is also the month designated to increase awareness for chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, stroke, arthritis, osteoporosis and hypertension. Research, exercise and other resources on these chronic diseases can be accessed at Thera-BandAcademy.com . Exercise is Medicine Month Exercise is Medicine® Month was launched in 2008 to celebrate May as the special recognition month for Exercise is Medicine and as a time for health care providers, fitness professionals, the public, and supporting organizations and constituents to recognize, emphasize and celebrate the valuable health benefits of exercise on a national scale. Over the past few years, almost all 50 states, many cities, organizations and a few military bases have celebrated Exercise is Medicine Month by hosting a variety of organized events requiring physical activity to get people moving. About the Academy The TheraBand Academy was formed to scientifically document the benefits of resistance exercise and pain relief, guide the company in its development of new products and exercise programs, and to promote therapeutic exercise and pain management through professional and consumer education. The Academy website is a unique resource that connects healthcare professionals and consumers to the ever growing body of knowledge on exercise. Registration is free and provides access to the largest database of rehab exercises, protocols, research and education in the world. About Performance Health Featuring leading brands like Biofreeze®, Bon Vital'®, TheraBand™, Cramer®, Prossage® and Pedigenix®, Performance Health offers a broad portfolio of products for the therapy, rehabilitation, wellness, massage, sports medicine, performance and podiatric markets. In addition to market-leading products, Performance Health provides practice building support, evidence-based protocols, clinical and product education, turn-key dispensing and pain management solutions. For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/ExerciseIsMedicine/May2014/prweb11879323.htm