Most Common Injuries in Resistance Training: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Interventions, and Preventive Strategies

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Resistance training enhances strength and fitness but poses risks for musculoskeletal injuries.
• Common injury sites include the shoulder, lower back, knee, and wrist/hand.
• Acute injuries such as muscle strains, tendon tears, tendinitis, and sprains are prevalent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize existing literature on resistance training injuries.
• To detail common injuries in strength sports, their mechanisms, and treatment.
• To highlight effective prevention strategies for resistance exercise injuries.

Main Methods:

• A literature search was conducted across Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect.
• Keywords included 'weight training', 'resistance exercise injuries', 'weightlifting', and 'resistance training injuries'.
• The review focused on summarizing data regarding injury types, mechanisms, and prevention.

Main Results:

• Improper technique, excessive loading, inadequate recovery, and anabolic steroid use are primary injury contributors.
• Most injuries are mild and managed conservatively, though severe cases may need surgery.
• Resistance training can also act as a protective measure against future injuries.

Conclusions:

• Injury prevention is critical, emphasizing supervised technique, progressive overload, and athlete education.
• Further research is needed on anabolic steroid effects and sport-specific prevention.
• Optimizing athlete safety and performance requires refined preventive strategies in resistance training.