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Strength training as superior, dose-dependent and safe prevention of acute and overuse sports injuries: a systematic review, qualitative analysis and meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
Objective: This review aims to analyse strength training-based sports injury prevention randomised controlled trials (RCT) and present best evidence recommendations for athletes and future research. A priori PROSPERO registration; CRD42015006970. Design: Systematic review, qualitative analysis and meta-analysis. Sorting of studies and quality assessments were performed by two independent authors. Qualitative analyses, relative risk (RR) estimate with robustness and strength of evidence tests, formal tests of publication bias and post-hoc meta-regression were performed. Data sources: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and SPORTDiscus were searched to July 2017. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: RCTs on strength training exercises as primary prevention of sports injuries. Results: Six studies analysed five different interventions with four distinct outcomes. 7738 participants aged 12–40 years were included and sustained 177 acute or overuse injuries. Studies were published in 2003–2016, five from Europe and one from Africa. Cluster-adjusted intention-to-treat analysis established RR 0.338 (0.238–0.480). The result was consistent across robustness tests and strength of evidence was high. A 10% increase in strength training volume reduced the risk of injury by more than four percentage points. Formal tests found no publication bias. Conclusion: The included studies were generally well designed and executed, had high compliance rates, were safe, and attained consistently favourable results across four different acute and overuse injury outcomes despite considerable differences in populations and interventions. Increasing strength training volume and intensity were associated with sports injury risk reduction. Three characteristically different approaches to prevention mechanisms were identified and incorporated into contemporary strength training recommendations.
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“Pre-emptive strengthening exercises targeting the foot, ankle, hip abductors, quadriceps, and trunk/core can support joints and reduce injury risk in some contexts”
From Lifestyle Medicine for Obesity in the Era of Highly Effective Anti-Obesity Treatment (2025) · cites this paper as [264]
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Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents
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“There is a shift from the primary concern of injuries associated with resistance training to the concern of injury and other adverse events because of a lack of adequate strength to keep up with training demands.(14,26,27)”
BackgroundMaestroni, L., Read, P. J., Bishop, C. J., Papadopoulos, K., Suchomel, T. J., Comfort, P., & Turner, A. N. (2020) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-020-01309-5 · Cited by 219
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Beato, M., Maroto-Izquierdo, S., Turner, A. N., & Bishop, C. (2021) · International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance · doi:10.1123/ijspp.2020-0862 · Cited by 95
Metadata
- Authors
- Lauersen, J. B., Andersen, T. E., & Andersen, L. B.
- Affiliations
- Hvidovre Hospital (DK)
- Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (NO)
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Lauersen, Jeppe Bo
- Venue
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2018-08-21
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 24
- Pages
- 1557-1563
- ISSN
- 0306-3674 (ISSN-L)
- 1473-0480
- OpenAlex
- W2888705663
- Cited by
- 262
- References
- 75
- Citations by year
- 2026: 43 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 3.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal of Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports injuries and prevention
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Lower Extremity Biomechanics and Pathologies
- Keywords
- resistance training, sports injury prevention, acute sports injuries, overuse injuries, dose-response relationship, training volume, injury risk reduction, prevention mechanisms, athletes
- MeSH terms
- Athletic Injuries, Humans, Primary Prevention, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Resistance Training
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