Everything You Need To Know About Eccentrics – Webinar on Demand
Treatment GuidelinesEccentric work provides unique responses and benefits compared to concentric exercise. This session delves into the science of eccentric exercise and how the Eccentron allows you to offer controlled but targeted isolated eccentric exercise to nearly any client.
As a Certified Athletic Trainer, I am a huge advocate for eccentric exercise. It is one of the most effective and safest modalities with decades of research to support its use in both training and recovery. Earlier this month, I presented a webinar all about eccentrics with BTE’s premiere partner in the UK, Physiquipe. We discussed open vs closed chain exercise, eccentrics for injury prevention, eccentrics in research, benefits of the Eccentron, and so much more. Watch the full webinar below!
The following article from Physiquipe summarizes the major takeaways from the webinar
Eccentric Exercise: Go Ahead, Resist….
Eccentric exercise, muscles lengthening under force, has long been recognised as highly effective by Orthopaedic and Physiotherapy thought leaders. Until now, there wasn’t a proven device to deliver the benefits of eccentric resistance in a safe, closed chain manner.
This session delved further into the science of eccentric exercise and how the BTE Eccentron allows you to offer controlled but targeted isolated eccentric exercise to nearly any client case, specific to each patient. Built on years of research & development in the growing field of eccentric resistance training, Eccentron is THE eccentric resistance strength trainer with objective measures and results tracking. Helping clinicians deliver better outcomes, faster.
Eccentric muscle work occurs every day when a muscle lengthens under force: as when lowering a weight, descending stairs, or walking down a hill. Eccentric work provides unique responses and benefits compared to concentric exercise.
Why Eccentric Exercise Is Important:
- Higher Resistance Capacity: Body can resist 30-40% more weight (eccentric) than it can push (concentric)
- Low Oxygen Requirement: 80% less O2 needed due to muscles resisting rather than doing concentric work. This can be effective for many patient populations
- Lower Perceived Exertion: Comfortably produce more force output than in a traditional concentric exercise
We were joined by BTE clinical specialist Jeff Johnson who discussed the latest evidence on the effectiveness of eccentric exercise as well as some interesting injury statistics. We touch on how hamstring injuries account for 12% of injuries in elite football and how eccentric exercise is of huge benefit for ACL as this is such a common and problematic injury.
Many injuries occur in non-contact situations in the deceleration phase. Building ‘tighter and stiffer’ muscle fibres can help prevent such injuries as it allows us to respond to external forces more quickly and have a more stable joint. Training eccentrically has a positive impact on concentric and isometric strength too. Identifying a deficit in eccentric strength can be an important factor for injury prevention and allow prehabilitation.
Open vs Closed Kinetic Chain
Open and closed kinetic chain exercises both have benefits within rehabilitation. We can generate significantly more (3 x advantage – Shulthes klinic) muscle force from a closed kinetic chain compared to open kinetic chain and is typically more functional rather than focusing on a specific muscle.
Eccentric exercise is very important for the older adult as well. As we get older, we lose type 2 fast twitch muscle fibres. This makes it more difficult for us to control movements such as descending stairs and moving objects.
The Eccentron
Provides closed kinetic chain only eccentric exercise to lower extremity. High force, endurance, power and isolation. It can isolate each leg individually (safer for the spine) offering neuromuscular training and immediate biofeedback. It provides platform for high volume of repetitions which is very difficult to achieve in any other way.
Eccentron and the NBA
Several professional athletes have had outstanding results with the Eccentron, including Todd Gurley, Dwight Howard, Nick Chubb, and countless others. Most recently, the Eccentron earned its place at the NBA Bubble for the 2019-2020 season. Check out our article, Inside the NBA Bubble, for an exclusive look at the Houston Rockets’ strengthening and conditioning techniques amid COVID-19 restrictions.
Get the Eccentric Strengthening and Conditioning E-book
Eccentric exercise with Eccentron is a game changer for athletes in just about any sport – from basketball to football, soccer, and more. Catch up with today’s leaders in professional and collegiate athletic training. Get the e-book, ACL Recovery Unlocked with Eccentric Strengthening and Motor Control. You’ll get new EMG research, ACL case studies, pro tips from Ron Courson, UGA Director of Sports Medicine, and more!
Jeff Johnson, MA, ATC
Clinical Specialist
BTE
