|
Indiana
University releases results of double blind Intracell Stick
study
Acute Effects of
the INTRACELL STICK on Muscle Strength, Power and Flexibility
conducted by
A.E. Mikesky, R.
Bahamonde, K. Stanton, T. Alvey, and T. Fitton
Indiana University
The
Intracell Stick is a non-motorized device used to stretch and
massage muscle. It is basically a semi-rigid rod around which
independent, smooth, one inch spindles rotate. The Intracell
Stick is being increasingly used by athletes to improve
performance. The purpose of this project was to assess the acute
effects of the Intracell Stick on muscle strength, power
and flexibility in a group of athletes.
Thirty
well-conditioned male and female collegiate athletes from the
sport of soccer, volleyball and basketball, were selected for
the study. During each testing session, athletes performed four
measures in the following sequence: hamstring flexibility,
vertical jump, flying start 20 yard dash, and isokinetic knee
extension strength at 90 deg/sec.
Two minutes of
intervention treatment [visualization (control), mock insensible
electrical stimulation (placebo), or stretch & massage using
the Intracell Stick (experimental)] was performed immediately
prior to each performance measure. Only one intervention was
used per testing session.
Concentric
muscular strength was assessed by using a KINCOM III isokinetic
dynamometer to measure maximum knee extension . . . . Muscular
power was assessed vertically by the vertical jump using a
Vertec jump apparatus. Horizontal power was tested in the flying
start 20 yard sprint using a Brower Speedtrap II photoelectric
timer . . . . Muscular flexibility was assessed by measurement
of the hamstring using a Leighton flexometer. Results are shown
below.
|
Intervention
|
Hamstring Flexibility degrees
|
Vertical Jump Inches
|
20 Yard Dash Seconds
|
Extension Strength Pounds
|
| Visualization |
92.2 |
20.0 |
2.76 |
154.5 |
| Mock
Stimulation |
90.2 |
19.7 |
2.76 |
153.2 |
| Intracell
Stick |
92.5 |
20.1 |
2.74 |
155.0 |
According
to the principal investigator, Alan E. Mikesky, PhD, "If
the 20 yard sprint improvement carries over to longer distances,
it could mean the difference between winning and placing in a
race. Personally, I was surprised at the findings since the
double blind study design removed any chance for study
bias."
RAW DATA
Therapist-Administrated
Intervention
|
AGE
|
HT
|
WT
|
PRE
|
POST
|
|
58
|
71
|
165
|
3.5
|
5.5
|
|
88
|
62
|
128
|
1.5
|
2.0
|
|
62
|
70
|
175
|
1.5
|
2.2
|
|
36
|
71
|
185
|
1.6
|
2.8
|
|
34
|
67
|
240
|
3.4
|
3.8
|
|
32
|
68
|
130
|
7.4
|
8.6
|
|
25
|
71
|
320
|
2.5
|
5.5
|
|
30
|
74
|
228
|
3.5
|
5.0
|
|
64
|
69
|
205
|
5.8
|
5.2
|
|
41
|
72
|
200
|
4.5
|
7.2
|
|
36
|
71
|
185
|
2.6
|
3.8
|
| 21 |
69 |
137 |
4.5 |
6.8 |
Self-Administered
Intervention
| Age |
HT |
WT |
PRE |
POST |
|
88
|
62
|
128
|
2.0
|
5.4
|
|
40
|
68
|
140
|
3.2
|
4.2
|
|
45
|
72
|
186
|
2.0
|
5.6
|
|
62
|
70
|
175
|
1.8
|
5.2
|
|
58
|
62
|
132
|
2.6
|
4.0
|
|
46
|
74
|
225
|
3.2
|
6.4
|
|
26
|
61
|
102
|
2.6
|
4.0
|
|
55
|
68
|
140
|
3.0
|
7.0
|
DESCRIPTIVE
STATISTICS
| VAR |
SIZE |
MEAN |
STD |
SEM |
|
Age
|
20
|
047.50
|
19.20
|
04.30
|
|
Ht
|
20
|
068.60
|
03.90
|
00.89
|
|
Wt
|
20
|
176.30
|
51.30
|
11.50
|
|
Pre
|
08
|
002.55
|
00.56
|
00.12
|
|
Post
|
08
|
005.23
|
01.12
|
00.39
|
|
Pre
|
12
|
003.53
|
01.81
|
00.52
|
|
Post
|
12
|
004.87
|
02.04
|
00.59
|
INFERENTIAL
STATISTICS
Therapist-Administered
Intervention
Self-Administered Intervention
Therapist-Administered Intervention
Self-Administered Intervention
Therapist-Administered Intervention
Self-Administered Intervention
| Group |
Pre |
Post |
Pre |
Post |
|
Size:
|
12
|
12
|
8
|
8
|
|
Mean:
|
3.53
|
4.87
|
2.55
|
5.23
|
|
Std:
|
1.81
|
2.04
|
0.56
|
1.12
|
T-Value
: 4.5
T-Value:
6.3
^
DF:
11
DF:
7
2-Tail
Prob.: 0.0009
2-Tail
Prob.: 0.0004
LEGEND: The measures are in the following units:
Age is in years • HT [height] is in inches •
WT [weight] is in pounds • PRE and POST
measures are in kilograms
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