If you're a weekend-only athlete, you may have learned the hard way that muscles that don't get regular workouts fall prey to injury more often than regularly conditioned muscles. Although strengthening your muscles won't absolutely protect you from strains and sprains, increasing your muscle strength can lessen the likelihood and severity of injuries.
Muscle Strength
Muscles, composed of the mesodermal layer of body tissue, possess flexible threads of tissue that facilitate your body's ability to move. A human body consists of 650 muscles under three main categories: cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle and smooth muscle. Muscle strength refers to the size of your muscle cells and the ability of your nerves to activate the cells. Another way to think about muscle strength is the measurement of force that can be produced or withstood by a single, full-on effort of a muscle.
Injuries
Muscles commonly injured -- and more so when muscles are weak -- include the quadriceps, hamstring and the flexor muscles in your hips. Abductor muscles suffer injuries when stressed or compacted. Hip flexor muscles, also known as kicking muscles, usually get injured during sharp thrusting movements such as striking a ball. Your quadriceps may incur injury when jumping or running, and your hamstrings tend to get injured during quick-movement activities such a sprinting. Increasing your muscle strength lowers your risk of sustaining such injuries.
Why Injuries Occur
Muscle injuries -- classified according to severity from grade one to grade three strains -- usually occur when you put undue pressure on muscles during activities as strenuous as sports or as moderate as household chores. If you do not regularly stretch your muscles to increase their elasticity or strengthen them by lifting weights or performing weight-resistance exercises, you make yourself more prone to injuries. If you must perform awkward movements -- turning a mattress, for instance -- muscle strength protects you from injury. Usually tight muscles are more prone to injuries. Injuries most often occur when a muscle switches from a tetanus -- long, sustained contraction -- to a twitch -- short single contraction.
Prevention
Regular stretching provides the best way to prevent muscle injuries. This increases increases your muscle strength and makes your muscles more flexible. Stretch every time prior to exercise or any other strenuous work. Always remember that strength, flexibility and endurance complete the injury-prevention package for your muscles. Besides stretching you can also try lifting weights to strengthen your muscles. Consult with your physician or physiotherapist before starting any exercise program.
References
- Physioroom: Muscle Strains and their Prevention
- The Muscle Program: Get Bigger and Stronger with Powerbuilding
- "Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology"; Frederick Martini; 2008
- Mama's Health: Muscle
- Spine Universe: Lift Weights, Lose Pain
