efficacy of strength training in injury prevention

Posted this elsewhere but thought to share here too

http://m.bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/11/871.long

Conclusions: Despite a few outlying studies, consistently favourable estimates were obtained for all injury prevention measures except for stretching. Strength training reduced sports injuries to less than 1/3 and overuse injuries could be almost halved.

The reason this is interesting is because it's a meta-analysis, which puts it a few notches above "good idea" or "common sense". There are a lot of reasons to use strength training post injury or for rehab...this is the first paper I've seen that quantifies how it can be preventative.

A 66% decrease in risk of injury = kind of a big deal, as is a 50% decrease in RSI. When you combine this with the recent paper that came out on plantar fasciitis and strength training, you can start to appreciate what the impact might be on some really p.i.t.a MSK problems.

http://m.bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/11/871.long

 

Live link for you.  Thanks for sharing.  Good study 

Sub Phone Post 3.0

Thanks ChipW

I can tell you that for a few years, all I did was train on the mats and drill and spar.  Felt great cardio wise, had great flexibility, great timing, but had some of the worst injuries in my life.  During that time I gave up strength training with weights, I did body weight stuff, plyos ect. 

I went back to weight training after my last MCL tear a few years ago.  I do a modified Westside Barbell routine and still train 3-5 times a week.  So far, no bad injuries.  I gained a lot of stregnth back, did not lose to much flexibility and cardio remained the same. 

I'm in my mid 40's work full time and don't get great sleep.  Strength training for me(with weights) saved my body.  I still roll with really big guys(One is over 400 lbs. and really good).  I will go this route as long as I can.

Im a functional cripple :p

My strentgh/muscular base put me waaaay ahead in recoveries from multiple surgeries and extend my longevity before having to get surgeries for over a decade. It took 13years for me to finally succumb and have surgery on ny right shkulder and its been 16 years still running the left. Recoveries from surgeries (knee and shoukder) were better than most 20y.o.s is what my therapists and surgeons commented to me.

So IME, strentgh training is beneficial for prevention and recovery

I'm interested to know about subjects with arthritis.

Strength training with arthritic joints is fucked

I recently started an Instagram account called @submit_backpain because I battled "back pain" for years (blue belt thru black) only to find out my hips and legs were tight and overtrained causing muscular imbalances. So I've dedicated myself to yoga, Pilates, weights, stretching, etc and get tons of question from others students at my academy and around town about stretches for bjj. So this account I started shows lots of the stuff I'm doing to prevent these imbalances from too much bjj specialization. Sorry for the hijack, good thread! Phone Post 3.0

dojo stormer - I'm interested to know about subjects with arthritis.

Strength training with arthritic joints is fucked


Ask around on startingstrength.com forums about that

bump and vu!

Great info thanks Phone Post 3.0

I was heavy into strength training from the late 90s up until a few years ago. I would get injured all the time when combining that with Jiu Jitsu. I tried to find balance with frequency/intensity/volume but I generally was always nursing an injury. After a more serious injury, I decided to stop strength training. I invested all my focus into Jiu Jitsu and two things happened. My rate of injury dramatically dropped off, and my technique aptitude exploded as I was not as wired to explode or use my athleticism/strength as much. It benefited me tremendously. I suppose I am an anomaly as I had a good base in strength/athletics already. Phone Post 3.0

^^^ I've found for me personally there's a big difference in light, tonic, I jury prevention workouts with weights compared to more traditional "pushing the poundages with compound lifts and trying to increase my maxes" type workouts; the first one makes me feel good, fresh, and in general more resilient on the mats, and the second makes me feel drained. I've never been able to seriously work on grappling, even at my mild/hobbyist level, and also really push it with weights. Phone Post 3.0

Yup, balance IS the key.  Like I said, if I didn't have to roll with guys a 100 lbs over me, I would just roll.  For me, the strength training prevents injury and that chronic "I just got hit by a truck " feeling the next day.

For later

True Seul, but then strength training is a bit of a misnomer when it's light.. Injury prevention or mobility training maybe.

Of course balance is key Robobear, but starting westside in your 40s is different than injuries you accrue over a decade of strength training in your 20s.

I am happy it works for most people, I'm seeing way more progress backing off strength training entirely. As I said I am probably an anomaly in this discussion because that was my background before staring Jiu Jitsu. I still kept my foundation of strength, but I really limit tapping into it as it impedes me. I've been rolling with a ~350 lb Tahitian purple lately as well. Jiu Jitsu apparently can work on monsters. Phone Post 3.0

If I'm only doing bjj, I'm getting hurt. If I'm lifting even twice a week, I'm fine. I've been training for almost 9 years. The moment I put the weights down I get hurt. I've never been more healthy then when I'm training bjj and supplementing it with lifting. Phone Post 3.0

dojo stormer - I'm interested to know about subjects with arthritis.

Strength training with arthritic joints is fucked


I have arthritis in my left hip. Like I wrote above....Im a functional cripple. I do some basic work on TRX and regular workout using kettlebells and clubbells, so I get lots of work involving hips driving, etc. M9stly Im using light bells (35&44) and clubs (15lbers 1or2), occasionally I play with a 70lb bell and 35lb club.

Imo, i'd be "fucked" if I didnt continue with strength training. Granted I wouldnt feel confortable trying to do deads and squats, but engaging my hips through the various movement involv3d in cleans, snatches, swipes, lunges, etc along with moderate stretching keeps me able to muddle through jiujitsu training, hunting, and maintaining some of my standup kickboxing and clinch skills. And with a better focus on stretchijg, i no longer lockup and fall on my face doing harai goshi or osoto gari!

the latest research is showing that continuous motion (passive or active) can reverse arthritis, as well as intermittent compression and distraction (activity, basically) stimulates healthy cartilage metabolism in joints (Steve maxwell has been saying this years).

So a strength training routine with the goal of safety and longevity in mind (aka not German volume training or any other extreme professional level program) can have incredible benefits for joint health, injury prevention, metabolic health and so on.

source: I work in physical therapy Phone Post 3.0

No science in mine but when I've avoided strength training it's been the healthiest I've ever been. My back never hurts from just Bjj or striking. My neck and shoulder issues are far less and I've never had knee issues except from wrestling and striking receiving leg kicks all while having strength training.

The healthiest and least injured I've ever been was while doing yoga, training for triathlons cardio, and doing BJJ.

I'm not lifting wrong(form wise)....I know strength training made my muscles tired and then there's another practice that day or the next am and you use those muscles then and the cycle continues when you do 2x a day every day. Sure I bet if I did just strength training and Bjj doing one session a day only of one or the other this may have some substance.
I can't wait for the day when I can just train like a regular casual player. Phone Post 3.0