Brightly colored resistive bands have adorned the walls, floors, and doors of health clubs, therapy, chiropractic, and physician clinics throughout the world since the 1970s. Currently, thousands, if not millions of people, use resistive bands in their daily workout routines. This rapid rise in resistive band popularity may be attributed to the band’s simplicity.

Resistive band, an elastic strip or tube of rubber material is lightweight, portable, inexpensive, versatile, and offers variable resistance. Many patient populations, (cardiac, chronic pain, geriatric, neurologic, orthopedic, pediatric, prenatal and post-partum, sports medicine, and world-class athletes), use the bands in a variety of positions to simulate sport-specific exercises, activities of daily living, and/or work-related strengthening positions.

Resistive bands, also commonly known as elastic bands, exercise bands, elastic tubing, Thera-Bands^®, Dyna-bands^®, Fit-Band^®or Rep Bands^®, are designed to introduce progressive resistance to an exercise program. The different color-coded resistance levels allow the fitness professional to customize strengthening programs to meet the needs of their clients. Hintermeiser et al. concluded that the "external load provided by the elastic resistance device allows patients to modify their exercises to match their rehabilitation progress." ¹