Training · Moderate evidence
Resistance training for injury prevention
Strengthening programs substantially reduced sports injuries; stretching alone showed no such effect.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · 1 source · 2 min
What the studies show
- Resistance training reduced sports injuries to less than half across the analyzed interventions.
- Multicomponent and proprioceptive programs were also effective.
- Stretching alone did not reduce injuries.
How Letz applies it
Users who log running or sports receive complementary strength work tailored to the sport's specific demands (swimming: rotator cuff and scapula; soccer: hamstrings and groin; dance: ankles and core), only when it does not compromise the workout routine.
Who it applies to
Individuals engaging in sports and regular physical activity.
Limits
The evidence concerns structured programs rather than isolated exercises; it cannot predict individual injury.
Sources
- Lauersen, Bertelsen & Andersen, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014 DOI 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092538
More in Training
- Resistance Training, Strength, and HypertrophyVarious training prescriptions improve strength and hypertrophy; heavier loads favor strength, and multiple sets favor hypertrophy.
- Weekly Volume: Sets per Muscle GroupMore weekly sets per muscle produce greater hypertrophy, with diminishing returns; for strength, moderate volumes already capture most of the gains.
- Frequency: training each muscle at least twice per weekTraining a muscle group twice a week is superior to once for hypertrophy; for strength, higher frequency helps primarily because it distributes volume more effectively.
- Load and rep rangeLight and heavy loads produce similar hypertrophy when sets are taken close to failure; heavy loads are superior for maximizing strength gains.