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

Resistance training is a structured exercise modality aimed at enhancing strength, hypertrophy, and overall fitness. However, it carries an inherent risk of musculoskeletal injuries, particularly in the shoulder, lower back, knee, and wrist/hand. The most common injury mechanisms include muscle strains, tendon tears, tendinitis, and sprains, with acute injuries predominating. Key contributing factors are improper technique, excessive loading, insufficient recovery, and anabolic steroid use. While most injuries are mild and resolve with conservative management, severe cases may require surgical intervention. Prevention is paramount, emphasizing proper technique under professional supervision, progressive overload management, and athlete education. Resistance training itself serves as a protective measure against future injuries. Future research should further investigate the role of anabolic steroids in injury risk and refine sport-specific preventive strategies to optimize athlete safety and performance. A literature search of Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases was performed. Articles were searched in English using the following keywords: "weight training", "resistance exercise injuries", "weightlifting", "weightlifting injuries", and "resistance training injuries". This paper summarizes the data available in the literature on injuries in resistance training. It focuses on illustrating the most common injuries in strength sports disciplines, their mechanisms, treatment methods, rehabilitation, and prevention.