Boosting Athletic Performance with Neurac Exercise

Neurac Exercise (Neuromuscular activation Sling Exercise Training) is an effective tool for enhancing key aspects of physical fitness and sport-specific performance in both young and adult athletes. This is confirmed by a new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the high-impact journal Sports Medicine (Auckland NZ) [1].

The findings offer the strongest evidence to date that Neurac Exercise is a science-backed and in-season-relevant method for improving athletic performance. The Neurac Sling Exercise Therapy/Training methods were originally developed by Redcord AS [2, 3].

Conclusion

The Norwegian-led research team concluded that Trunk Muscle Training (TMT) —such as Neurac Exercise—effectively improves selected performance outcomes in both young and adult athletes. Notably, sub-analyses suggest that Neurac Exercise improves change-of-direction speed and agility— primarily in children.

Furthermore, training protocols with either more frequent (2-3 per week) or slightly shorter sessions (18 to 30 minutes) were most effective for improving muscle power, sprint speed, and agility in competitive athletes.

Results

• The methodological quality of the included studies averaged 5 out of 10 on the PEDro scale.

• For physical fitness outcomes, significant small-to-large effects of TMT or Neurac Exercise were found:

  • Maximal muscle strength: SMD = 0.39 (small effect)

  • Local muscular endurance: SMD = 1.29 (large)

  • Lower limb muscle power: SMD = 0.30 (small)

  • Linear sprint speed: SMD = 0.66 (moderate)

  • Change-of-direction speed/agility: SMD = 0.70 (moderate)

• For sport-specific performance, a significant moderate effect was also observed:

  • Sport-specific outcomes (e.g., swim time, throwing speed): SMD = 0.64

Background

Trunk muscle training (TMT)—such as Neurac Exercise—has been studied extensively for its role in enhancing physical fitness and sports performance in athletes. However, until now, a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis focused on both young and adult competitive athletes was missing.

This study pooled the available data to examine the impact of TMT and identify whether factors like age, sex, performance level, or training design (frequency, session length, total training volume) influenced the results.

Methods in Short

The researchers systematically reviewed studies from PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus up to June 2021. Included trials involved competitive athletes (regional to international level) and measured the effects of TMT on physical fitness (e.g., strength, sprint speed, agility) or sport-specific performance (e.g., throwing, swimming).

Only controlled trials with baseline and follow-up data were included. Study quality was rated using the PEDro scale (0-10, worst to best), and effect sizes were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses explored whether demographic or training-related variables affected the outcomes. 

What This Means for Your Practice

TMT using the Neurac Exercise approach can be a powerful addition to your treatment and training programs. It has measurable effects on muscular strength, explosive power, agility, and sprint speed—making it highly relevant for both rehabilitation and sports performance. The findings support including supervised and targeted sling-based exercises for in-season athletes to maintain or enhance physical output without compromising recovery.

Bottom Line

This systematic review confirms that Neurac Exercise, when delivered with structured protocols, improves several key markers of athletic performance. Among all the studies reviewed, the 2011 randomized controlled trial by Professor Saeterbakken stands out [4]—the Neurac exercise supervisor applied the Redcord sling suspension system and closely followed the Neurac Exercise methodology, making it the most comprehensive application of the method to date. It showed the highest effect size of all trials (very high on throwing velocity: SMD 3.33 [95% CI 1.64 to 5.02]). 

For physical therapists and sports performance professionals, Neurac Exercise offers a research-supported, field-tested strategy to enhance performance in-season—without overloading the athlete. If you're working with competitive athletes, integrating Neurac Exercise [5] with Redcord’s sling suspension system [6] provides a high-quality, evidence-informed option for results-driven training and rehab.

References

1. Saeterbakken, A.H., et al., The Effects of Trunk Muscle Training on Physical Fitness and Sport-Specific Performance in Young and Adult Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med, 2022. 52(7): p. 1599-1622. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9213339/ 

2. Kirkesola, G., Neurac - a new treatment method for long-term musculoskeletal pain. Fysioterapeuten, 2009. 76(12): p. 16-25. http://cdn1.sourze.se/cdn.zitiz.se/userfiles.cdn.zitiz.se/z/caea9cc5-b663-44ec-b91d-cccabcafc571/Neurac%20Article%20Fysioterapeuten%20200912.pdf

3. Kirkesola, G., Sling exercise therapy (S-E-T): a total concept for exercise and active treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Fysioterapeuten, 2000. 12(6): p. 7.

4. Saeterbakken, A.H., R. van den Tillaar, and S. Seiler, Effect of core stability training on throwing velocity in female handball players. J Strength Cond Res, 2011. 25(3): p. 712-8. PubMed-ID 20581697 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20581697/ 

5. Redcord Education. https://www.redcord.com/education

6. Redcord Equipment. https://www.redcord.com/equipment