Strength training is a type of exercise that focuses on building and maintaining muscle mass and strength. It is an important component of physiotherapy, as it can help improve physical function, reduce pain, and prevent injury.
One of the key benefits of strength training is that it can help improve overall physical function, including balance, coordination, and flexibility. This is especially important for individuals hoping to prevent injury and for those recovering from a previous injury, as strength training can help them regain their strength and return to normal activity.
In fact, In a study examining over 3000 adults over a 30 month period at risk for knee osteoarthritis found that greater strength of quadricep muscles at baseline was protective for the development of symptomatic knee arthritis (1). In another analysis of several studies, over 7500 participants aged 12-40 were followed and showed that increases in strength training was associated with a decreased risk of both acute and overuse injuries (2).
In addition to benefits on muscle and joint pain, a study examining the outcomes of 80,306 adults over the age of 30 found that at least two days of strengthening per week was associated with a 23% reduction in mortality and 31% reduction in cancer mortality over a nine year period, with higher amounts of strengthening resulting in greater reductions (3).
These studies show that strength training is a safe and effective way to prevent injury as well as improve health overall, as it can help build a strong and resilient body that is better equipped to handle the physical demands of daily life. If you would like to incorporate the benefits of strength training into your injury rehabilitation or to be proactive in your health, book an appointment with a Kamloops physiotherapist at the Movement Mechanics team and help improve physical function, reduce pain, and prevent injury.
