There are an abundance of reasons that people of all ages should be incorporating some kind of strength training into their exercise routine, and avoiding injury is a significant one not least because injury in turn leads to immobility. As bones become thinner and less dense, even a minor bump or fall can cause a serious fracture.

The longer you stick with your resistance training, the stronger your bones become as they build up density. Weight training is known to strengthen ligaments, tendons, tendon to bone, ligament to bone junction, joint cartilage and connective tissue sheaths within muscle. What does this all add up to?

Much stronger joints! During dynamic movements, your ligaments become more flexible and better at absorbing the shock applied to them. Resistance training helps strengthen muscles and tendons while increasing the flexibility of the ligaments, decreasing the risk of one becoming strained or torn.

Stronger muscles and tendons help hold your body in proper alignment and protect your bones and joints when moving or under impact. When weight training, you should be building up strength and balancing out weaknesses in agonist and antagonist muscle groups.

For example, the abdominal muscles and back muscles that function together and against one another will work to stabilise the spine. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or someone just starting their fitness journey, incorporating strength training into your routine is a wise decision.

Remember to start slowly, seek professional guidance if needed, particularly if you have suffered with recurrent injuries in the past.

A rehab-based strength plan focussing on your specific needs determined from a detailed assessment can be essential to enjoy the long-term benefits of a strong and injury-resistant body. Your health and future well-being are worth the investment in strength training.

Currier BS, Mcleod JC, Banfield L , et al Resistance training prescription for muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy adults: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis British Journal of Sports Medicine ; Fatouros IG, Kambas A, Katrabasas I , et al Strength training and detraining effects on muscular strength, anaerobic power, and mobility of inactive older men are intensity dependent.

British Journal of Sports Medicine ; Kelley GA, Kelley KS, Tran ZV. Resistance training and bone mineral density in women: a meta-analysis of controlled trials. In: Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects DARE : Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet]. York UK : Centre for Reviews and Dissemination UK ; Hong AR, Kim SW.

Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health. Endocrinol Metab Seoul. doi: PMID: ; PMCID: PMC Calatayud, J. and Andersen, L. High-intensity preoperative training improves physical and functional recovery in the early post-operative periods after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy , 25 , pp. Squeezed for time? Focus on just doing the first five moves. These target the hip muscles that keep your pelvis stable while you run, which is critical for injury prevention.

Stand on your right leg. Tip your body forward, raising your left leg behind you, back, arms and right leg straight. Return to starting position. After one set, repeat on the other leg. Step out to your left, bending that knee 90 degrees, keeping your right leg straight.

Step back to starting position. Repeat in the opposite direction, stepping out to the right and bending your right knee, for one rep. Next level: Do the move holding a dumbbell or medicine ball to your chest. Lie on your left side with your legs straight.

Raise your right leg as high as you can, then bring it back down for one rep. After completing one set, switch to the other side and repeat. Next level: Start in side-plank position, resting on one elbow while raising the opposite leg. Start in a side plank position, balancing on your left elbow.

After one set, repeat on the other side. Next level: Hold your opposite arm in the air to work your core. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips until your knees form a straight line with your upper body.

Some of the most common sports injuries are to the ligaments and tendons surrounding joints. Strengthening the right muscles through the right kind of exercises can decrease risk and even improve performance, as researchers found.

In order to achieve the desired affects of strength training when it comes to injury prevention and pain management, strength training needs to be targeted. Moreover, it needs to specific, done regularly, and done properly. These elements of strength and resistance training are essential if your goal is to prevent injuries and increase your performance level.

Someone who is trained in spotting weaknesses and determining where those weaknesses are stemming from is the only way to properly do strengthening exercise to prevent injuries.

A physical therapist and an athletic trainer are the best equipped to do this. You could probably get away with doing basic strengthening exercises. Related Content Injury Prevention Being Injury-Free Means Strength Training Can You Predict An Injury? Chanhassen Eden Prairie Minnetonka Chaska Shakopee Chanhassen Location Century Blvd Chanhassen, MN Phone: Fax: Eden Prairie Location West 78th St.

Minnetonka Location County Road Minnetonka, MN Phone: Fax: Here are some that your young athlete can try at home:.

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Find Doctors Services Locations. Medical Professionals. While the recommendations on this page are a good place to start, you'll get a lot more benefit when you add the right stretches to your training program. You'll get clear photographs and 44 video demonstrations of unique stretches for every major muscle group in your body.

Plus, you'll also learn the 7 critical rules for safe stretching; the benefits of flexibility; and how to stretch properly. About the Author : Brad Walker is often referred to as the "Stretch Coach" and has even been called the Stretching Guru.

Amazon author page has listed his books on five Best-Seller lists. Google cites over , references to him and his work on the internet. And satisfied customers from countries have sent 1,'s of verified customer reviews.

If you want to know about stretching, flexibility or sports injury management, Brad Walker is the go-to-guy. Disclaimer : The health and fitness information presented on this website is intended as an educational resource and is not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice.

Please consult your physician or physical therapist before performing any of the exercises described on this website, particularly if you are pregnant, elderly or have any chronic or recurring muscle or joint pain. Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn YouTube.

Strength Training and Strength Exercises for Injury Prevention. Discover how strength training prevents sports injury. by Brad Walker First Published February 5, Updated October 11, What is Strength Training? The 3 main types of strength training include:.

Machine Weights Machine strength training includes resistance exercises done using any of the various machines designed to produce resistance. Free Weights Free weight strength training involves using weights that are not fixed in a movement pattern by a machine.

How does Strength Training prevent injury? Strength training improves the strength of the muscles, tendons, and even the ligaments 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 stronger due to the overload placed on them during training and the ligaments become more flexible and better at absorbing the shock applied to them during dynamic movements. When an area of the body is used less during an activity it may become weak compared to other areas.

This can become a problem when that area whether a muscle, ligament, joint, or specific bone is called into play suddenly during an activity.

That area cannot handle the sudden stress placed on it and an injury occurs. Strength training, using a balanced program, will eliminate these weak areas and balance the body for the activities it is called to do.

Muscle imbalances are one of the most common causes of injuries in athletics. When one muscle, or muscle group, becomes stronger than its opposing group, the weaker muscles become fatigued quicker and are more susceptible to injury.

A forceful contraction, near maximal output from the stronger muscle can also cause damage to the weaker opposing muscle due to the inability to counter the force. Muscle imbalances also affect the joints and bones due to an abnormal pull causing the joint to move in an unnatural pattern.

The stronger muscles will cause the joint to pull in that direction causing a stretching of the opposing ligaments and a tightening of the supporting ones. These can lead to chronic pain and an unnatural wearing of the bones. A balanced strength training program will help to counter these effects by strengthening the weaker muscles to balance them with their counterparts.

Precautions for Strength Training Strength training is a great tool for injury prevention; however, becoming injured during strength training obviously defeats this purpose.

The nature of strength training is quite different to any other form of exercise. Be patient. To avoid injury it is essential that proper form be used in all exercises.

Keeping the body in proper alignment while exercising will minimize the injury chances. Starting with light weights or resistance and developing proper form before increasing the resistance is important. When increasing the resistance it is important to do so in small increments and only when the desired number of repetitions can be performed in correct form.