!8: Purchasing Elliptical Training Machine

Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Nordic Track 990 Elliptical Trainer Tested

!±8± The Nordic Track 990 Elliptical Trainer Tested

The Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer is new for 2007. However it appears that this cross trainer is an upgrade of the older 928. Nordic Track is a subsidiary of Icon which happens to be the largest manufacture of fitness equipment in the world. Icon also manufactures Reebok and Schwinn elliptical trainers. The Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer does have a great feature that the 928 does not. It has the ability to incline which has the effect of changing the shape of the elliptical stride as well as the strides length. We found a Nordic Track 990 that was purchased for home use to test.

We used several people of different size in conducting our test. The max rating for the 990 elliptical trainer is about 325 lbs. One of our testers is a power lifter weighing at 280 lbs. We also have a couple of testers that use elliptical trainers 5 or more days a week. The first thing that everyone did not care for was the non-articulating foot peddles. We also wish the console had been upgrade with a larger display. That being said we really like the power incline feature. There are 5 incline setting that change the shape and stride length. Shortly after making a change in incline you feel the change in your muscles response. However when we tried to conduct an intense workout the machine became very noisy and shaky.

The biggest complaint to come from the purchaser was about the Ifit technology was a "rip off" to get money for what should have been program into the elliptical trainer. The Ifit service is free for the first month but a subscription of .00 per month is required to continue the service. Ifit for those who are unaware of its features is a service that sells you a monthly subscription to get a custom 8 weeks of aerobic, strength training and nutrition program base on your individual needs. It is a great market program that makes Icon lots of money.

The people who were so kind to let use their Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer purchased it online. They hired someone to assemble the elliptical trainer for them. During this assembly there were problems with missing parts but after contacting customer service this issue was resolve albeit slowly. They have been using the elliptical trainer for about 45 days without any major problems. They did the wise thing and purchased an extended warranty to cover any expected problems down the road, The Nordic Track 990 elliptical trainer does have a one year parts and labor warranty but considering the track record of Icon fitness equipment it is very prudent to purchase the extra warranty. Any time you consider purchasing an elliptical trainer for less than 00.00 you can expect cost cutting in the components and construction.

We do recommend this unit for in home use when it is not used at high intensity levels for extended periods. If this elliptical trainer is used for approximately 30 minutes 3 days a week it should hold up well. If you want to see what long term problems to expect you can check the reviews of the older Nordic Track 928 elliptical trainer.

The Nordic Track 990 Elliptical Trainer Tested

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

Hip Replacement Exercises

!±8± Hip Replacement Exercises

Rehabilitation after a hip replacement is usually straightforward but it is important to be aware of the priorities at each stage of the operation and recovery for the best outcome. Because an osteoarthritic hip is painful this has a series of knock-on effects. A painful joint means the musculature which controls that joint cannot work properly so tends to lose some of its strength and support for the joint. The joint may also become tight as the natural movements are not performed and the person may adopt an abnormal gait which becomes an ingrained habit.

Pre-operative education and rehabilitation is important so the person knows what they are trying to achieve with their exercises and gait practice. Range of motion and strengthening exercises can be given along with gait correction. If the gait cannot be easily corrected by instruction, consideration should be given to using a walking aid. Either a stick or a crutch can be used depending on the degree of support needed, held in the opposite hand to the arthritic joint. If the patient walks with a good pattern this is sufficient, but if they still walk poorly they may need two sticks or crutches to achieve a reasonable gait pattern.

On the first post-operative day the physiotherapist assesses and treats the patient both in the bed and up mobilizing. Quadriceps and buttock muscle contractions performed hourly allow the leg to regain muscle control to enable movement. Repeated gentle hip flexions by sliding the heel up and down in the bed can help the patient regain control of the leg and restore this functional activity which they need to master bed mobility. Circulatory improvement is also encouraged by pumping movements of the ankles routinely but the size of this effect may not be very great.

Hourly contractions and gentle movements of the hip will get the joint moving and restore some confidence in the patient that they can independently move their leg around, which initially feels very heavy. The physiotherapist and an assistant will mobilize the patient as their condition allows, using crutches or a frame. Early sitting out in a chair is encouraged with a seat high enough to prevent too much hip flexion. As the side of the thigh has been operated this can limit the amount of knee bend so patients are encouraged to regularly slide their feet back towards themselves in sitting.

Giving the patient confidence to independently perform a safe and relatively normal gait pattern is the initial goal of mobilization. This progresses into teaching a walking technique which approximates as closely as possible to normal walking. Once this has been well learned the patient should walk with a pattern very close to a natural gait, with an observer only understanding they have a restriction by the presence of crutches. The natural sequence of muscle activation is promoted by an involuntary and repetitive function such as walking and this reduces the energy cost of walking and facilitates return of muscle power.

The physiotherapist may prescribe an exercise regime for the patient if he or she identifies a particular weakness in the hip musculature. The upright position with the patient holding onto a solid object is the safest starting position and promotes stability and confidence. Three movements can be used to start with: bringing the thigh up towards horizontal in front of the body; making a sideways movement of the leg outwards whilst keeping it straight; pushing the leg behind the body whilst keeping the body upright and the leg straight. The main hip and pelvic muscles which control hip stability are worked by these movements.

Hydrotherapy or more strongly resisted exercises may be necessary in some cases. Joint replacement treatment is very effectively managed in a pool due to both the resistance and the support of the water. Floats attached to the feet increase the forces needed to perform muscle activity in water and the entire walking pattern can be practiced by walking against the water resistance up and down the pool. Hip surgeons are not very keen on significant exercises for total hip replacements, except gait, due to possible implant loosening and reduction in the survival of the implant.