The benefits of resistance training have been well documented in the past couple of years and have been an integral part of any sports athlete’s development program. It’s vital for improving strength, speed, endurance, agility and overall muscle mass. These elements will undoubtedly improve the abilities of athletes of all sports types and levels, however, there exists another benefit that has commonly been overlooked; injury prevention.
Strength training is a major component of any injury prevention or injury management program. In this article, we will dig deeper into understanding why this is the case and why all sports athletes should be incorporating some sort of strength and conditioning into their training.
What is strength training?
Strength training is moving the joints through a range of motion against resistance, requiring the muscles to expend energy and contract forcefully to move the bones.
It is an effective training protocol used to strengthen the muscles, tendons, bones and ligaments of the individual while performing exercises with various types of resistance. The benefits of strength training go beyond just improving strength and power output, and this is why it should be implemented in conditioning programs for all sports, not just strength sports.
There are 3 types of strength training formats; Machine weights, Free weights and Body weights. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, but all should be implemented for a robust S&C program.
Injury prevention
The benefits of strength training are clear and are normally implemented in off-season training, but how does this help prevent injuries?
1 Strength training improves the power of the muscles, tendons, and bones.
Stronger muscles and tendons help hold the body in proper alignment and protect the bones and joints when moving, or under impact. The bones become more resilient due to the overload placed on them during training. The ligaments become more flexible and better at absorbing the shock applied to them during dynamic movements.
2 When an area of the body is used less during activity it may become weaker compared to the other areas.
This can become a problem when that area, whether it’s the muscle, ligament, joint or bone is called into play suddenly during activity. When that specific area cannot handle the sudden load and stress placed on it, this is when injuries occur. A rigorous and balanced strength program will eliminate these weak areas and balance the body so it can withstand any sudden load placed on them when performing the athlete’s sport activity.
3 Muscle imbalances are one of the most common causes of injuries in athletes.
When one muscle or muscle group become stronger than the opposing group, the weaker muscle becomes fatigued quicker and is more susceptible to injuries. A strong contraction, near maximal output from the stronger muscle, can also cause damage to the weaker opposing muscle due to that muscle’s inability to counter the force.
4 Muscle imbalances also affect the joints and bones due to the abnormal pull causing the joint to move in an unnatural pattern.
The stronger muscles will cause the joint to pull in a direction it’s not used to, causing a stretch in the opposing ligaments and tightening the supporting ones. This can lead to chronic pain and unnatural wearing of the bones. This however can be countered with a balanced strength program which addresses these imbalances and helps strengthen the weak areas in the body.
Come and visit our Strength and Performance department at Better Body Group and we can take you from injury through our rehab team onto our strength and performance exercise specialists to recovery and prepare you to supersede your pre-injury performance.
