Evaluation of forces produced by therapeutic elastic resistance bands of various lengths and stiffnesses: a biomechanical study for clinical application

Introduction: Elastic resistance bands (ERBs) are commonly incorporated into canine and human strengthening exercises to restore muscle strength during rehabilitation; however, there is limited published quantitative data regarding force production under conditions used in veterinary medicine. The objective of this study was to quantify the tensile forces produced by ERBs of different stiffnesses and lengths at various levels of elongation to generate specific guidelines for rehabilitation prescription of canine patients. We hypothesized that greater tensile forces would be generated by using stiffer ERBs, shorter resting lengths and greater elongation lengths. Methods: ) were evaluated at 10 cm and 40 cm resting lengths, with the aid of an Instron mechanical tester. Each band was stretched to 1.25x, 1.5x, and 1.75x their original resting lengths. 10 cm ERBs were stretched to 12.5 cm, 15 cm, and 17.5 cm respectively. 40 cm ERBs were stretched to 50 cm, 60 cm, and 70 cm, respectively. Mean peak forces were compared by one-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc testing. Results and discussion: < 0.0001). Black bands generated the highest resistance across all elongation levels. Band stiffness, elongation, and starting length are key determinants of force generation. The quantification of these parameters enables the prescription of ERB exercises as part of a specific and repeatable rehabilitation dosing intervention in veterinary rehabilitation.