Wanna Prevent Sports Injuries? Pump Some Iron
We all know exercise is essential but a new study suggests that exercise is even more imperative for athletes who want to reduce their time sitting on the sidelines with an injury.
Researchers discovered that athletes who regularly do strength training have a lower risk of acute and overuse sports injuries. Additionally, people who participated in all three exercise methods studied (stretching, strength training, and proprioception training) suffered from lower incidences of sports injuries as well. Stretching on its own did not yield any measurable benefits for injury prevention in the studies, something that has been observed in earlier research.
The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed results from 25 different trials involving 26,000 individuals. Of that sample, 3,364 reported at least one sports injury. Researchers looked at three distinct areas of physical training: stretching, strength training, and proprioception training. The latter involves teaching your body to respond physically without looking at it, such as when you hit a baseball without watching your hands hold the bat.
Interpreting the Results
This study suggests that athletes will lower their risk of sports-related injuries when they engage in a regular exercise program that involves strength training, stretching, and proprioception training. Although cardiovascular training was not assessed, numerous other studies have found benefits of this type of exercise as well.
Exercise shouldn't be your only guard against injury. Chiropractic care is an important part of injury prevention as it helps keep your muscles and bones aligned and strong. So, get your exercise and participate in regular chiropractic visits, and you will be more likely keep yourself in the game!
Reference
Lauersen J. B., et al. The Effectiveness of Exercise Interventions to Prevent Sports Injuries. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2014;48(11):871-877.
