Preventing Sports Injuries
Hamstring tears are very common soccer injuries. A
study in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
shows that preseason strength training helps to prevent injuries
to these muscles in the back of the upper legs (Volume 13, Issue
4, 2003).
Players from two of the best soccer teams in Sweden
were divided into two groups. One group received specific
hamstring training of 10 weeks of twice a week, using a special
device to overload the hamstrings eccentrically. The trained
group had less than one third the hamstring injuries of the
untrained group, and also had greater improvement in hamstring
strength and running speed.
The findings of this study should encourage preseason
strength training for other muscle groups stressed in any sports.
While stretching can make muscles longer to exert a greater torque
on joints, it has not been shown to prevent injuries. Muscles are
injured because the force on them is greater than their inherent
strength, so they tear. Resistance training makes muscles stronger
so that they can withstand greater forces and therefore helps
to prevent injuries. Also see http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/9140.html
and other reports on the most common sports injuries in the
Fitness section of www.drmirkin.com
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