Power Balance Bands.....Does anyone out there wears them?

EFFECT OF THE POWER BALANCE

BAND ON STATIC

BALANCE, HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY, AND ARM

STRENGTH IN ADULTS

PRINCESS J.R. VERDAN, THOMAS S. MARZILLI, GEANINA I. BARNA, ANNTIONETTE N. ROQUEMORE,

BRAD A. FENTER, BRITTANY BLUJUS, AND KEVIN P. GOSSELIN

Department of Health and Kinesiology, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, Texas

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

2012 National Strength and Conditioning Association

ABSTRACT:

Verdan, PJR, Marzilli, TS, Barna, GI, Roquemore, AN, Fenter, BA,

Blujus, B, and Gosselin, KP. Effect of the power balance

band on static balance, hamstring flexibility, and arm strength

in adults. J Strength Cond Res 26(8): 2113–2118, 2012—The

purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Power

Balance bands on strength, flexibility, and balance. Strength

and flexibility were measured using the MicroFit system.

Strength was measured via a bicep curl and flexibility via the

sit-and-reach method. Balance was measured by the BIODEX

System SD. There were 4 different conditions for the balance

test: eyes open on a firm surface (EOFS), eyes closed on a firm

surface (ECFS), eyes open on a foam surface (EOFoS), and

eyes closed on a foam surface (ECFoS). There were 24

subjects in the study (10 men and 14 women). A counterbalance,

double-blind, placebo, controlled within-subject design

was used. Each of the subjects participated in 3 treatment

sessions, consisting of Power Balance , placebo band, and no

band. An alpha level of p # 0.05 was set a priori. There were no

significant differences in strength, flexibility, or balance with

regard to the treatments used. There was a significant

difference between the conditions in the balance test (p =

0.000): EOFS (0.51), ECFS (0.68), EOFoS (0.99), and ECFoS

(2.18); however, these were independent of the treatment

conditions. The results indicate that the Power Balance bands

did not have an effect on strength, flexibility, or balance.

My opinion:

To be honest Power Balance Bands do not enhance performance.  Strength, flexibility, and balance are only gain through training and wrist bands will not do it for you. You need to put some effort if you want to increase your performance levels.  Do not relay on solutions that do not require you to move at all!  If people wear the power balance bands as a fashion trend only maybe I can understand why.  I'm out.......