Principles of Suspension Exercise Therapy

Suspension Exercise Therapy (SET: Sling Exercise Therapy)

A novel approach in recent years for strength training, prevention, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain and neuromuscular disorders. The suspension training system is a comprehensive sensory-motor training system that enhances balance, control, and stability during movement by improving motor capabilities of core muscles and non-dominant limbs, strengthening feedback and integration between nerves and muscle groups. The core mechanism of suspension training maximizes sensory nerve stimulation through gravitational effects, activating neural networks. This therapy prioritizes active training and rehabilitation, encompassing diagnostic and therapeutic systems, and is widely applicable in sports, medical, and fitness fields.

Functions of Suspension Exercise Therapy

I. Enhancing Core Strength

The core region serves as the hub of the human kinetic chain, acting as the primary power source for movement and playing a connective, transmissive, and integrative role within the chain. Unstable surface strength training is the primary method for developing core strength, aiming to improve neuromuscular recruitment and control, thereby enhancing athletic performance and preventing injuries. Among various core strength training methods, SET has emerged as an effective approach in recent years. Suspension training follows a progressive difficulty escalation model, applying forces to unstable support surfaces to increase training intensity, muscle engagement, and stimulation—particularly targeting deep core muscle groups—to enhance core strength.

II. Improving Neuromuscular Control

Muscle contraction results from the interaction between nerves and muscles, with the nervous system influencing strength through coordinated muscle activity. Suspension training is predominantly conducted under unstable support conditions, requiring patients or athletes to simultaneously control body balance and movement stability during strength exercises. This process engages proprioceptors in the locomotor system, refining precise neural control over muscle tension through repeated modulation of multi-muscle coordination. Additionally, SET incorporates both open-chain and closed-chain exercises, with experts hypothesizing that their combination is the optimal pathway for restoring neuromuscular control.

III. Preventing Sports Injuries

Suspension training enhances balance and control during high-speed movements by strengthening trunk muscles and non-dominant limb capabilities, optimizing force transmission through the kinetic chain. During rapid exertion, robust core muscles ensure proper limb positioning, while the stabilizing function of deep small muscle groups provides critical protection. Furthermore, enhanced core strength establishes a fulcrum for limb muscle contractions, creates favorable conditions for force generation at the extremities, elevates power output during movement, and prevents sports injuries.

Indications

Cervical/Lumbar Disorders: Alleviates common cervical and lumbar spine pathologies.

Spinal Control: Improves pelvic-spinal muscle control and mobility.

Body Awareness: Enhances proprioception and balance.

Coordination: Reduces fall risks through limb coordination training.

Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation: Mitigates sports injuries and accelerates post-injury recovery.

Postpartum Recovery: Boosts maternal rehabilitation efficiency.

Suspension System Configuration