Injury prevention is one of the key concerns for most hobby as well as professional athletes. Commonly recommended interventions often include stretching, massages, or the application of cold, such as staying in cold water — professionally known as cryotherapy. Unfortunately, most of these interventions can do very little when it comes to actually reducing the risk of injury. Among the most important interventions are usually sufficient sleep, an adequate amount of protein in the diet, and placing emphasis on sufficient muscle strength of the given body segment.
Strength training is still very underrated today in the context of injury prevention. Yet, there is solid data showing that simply incorporating strength training into an athlete’s training program can reduce injury risk by an average of 66%. Another intervention can be the addition of plyometric exercises, which involve rapid changes in direction in the form of jumps, bounds, or start–stop movements. From a biomechanical perspective, however, plyometric training is very similar to strength training in terms of muscle involvement. Lastly, proprioceptive training can also be included, using exercises that enhance the body’s awareness within a given movement pattern.
Both strength and plyometric training can be performed on the FIT-REB frame. Thanks to the use of resistance bands, you can appropriately adjust the load for the targeted segment so that the exercise provides the benefit of reducing injury risk. In general, we would recommend lower repetition ranges with higher intensity. The number of repetitions could be around 4–8 per set, and the number of sets can generally be set to around 3–4 for the given muscle group. It is also good to target all muscle groups surrounding the segment for which you want to reduce injury risk.
For example, runners who want to reduce the risk of ankle injury can use resistance heel raises with a deficit, aimed at strengthening the Achilles tendon and calves. This means standing with your back to the FIT-REB frame, positioning yourself by a bench, and lowering your heel below the level of the bench. It is also beneficial to strengthen the opposite side — the muscles at the front of the ankle. These include the tibialis anterior, which performs the function of pulling the toes toward the head, known as dorsiflexion. Sit facing the FIT-REB frame, hook the band over your toes, and pull the toes toward your head against resistance. With these two exercises, you increase the stability of your ankle. Then, when running on uneven terrain, you will have a lower chance of twisting your ankle.
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In a similar way, you can target practically any joint in the body — from shoulders for tennis players to knees for football players, who often enter duels where the risk of injury is high. Resistance bands are also ideal for strengthening during so-called eccentric phases. Most injuries occur during rapid changes of movement, where muscles are being stretched while simultaneously having to brake or initiate movement in the opposite direction. With dumbbells, these eccentric (sometimes also called negative) phases are relatively difficult to perform, but with resistance bands, such training becomes truly effortless.
It is also important to mention that injuries depend on many factors, and it would be inappropriate to promise people that with such training they will never get injured. However, it is appropriate to reduce the risk of injury as much as possible, and if an injury does occur, the FIT-REB frame can also be used for high-quality rehabilitation.
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Sources:
Thacker SB, Gilchrist J, Stroup DF, Kimsey CD Jr. The impact of stretching on sports
injury risk: a systematic review of the literature. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004
Mar;36(3):371-8. doi: 10.1249/01.mss.0000117134.83018.f7. PMID: 15076777.
Hart L. Effect of stretching on sport injury risk: a review. Clin J Sport Med. 2005
Mar;15(2):113. doi: 10.1097/01.jsm.0000151869.98555.67. PMID: 15782063.
Lauersen JB, Andersen TE, Andersen LB. Strength training as superior,
dose-dependent and safe prevention of acute and overuse sports injuries: a
systematic review, qualitative analysis and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018
Dec;52(24):1557-1563. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099078. Epub 2018 Aug 21.
PMID: 30131332.
Author: Honza Fišer, Ing.
