Strength Training – An Underestimated Risk Factor for Muscle Injuries in Professional Football
Introduction
Despite numerous injury prevention strategies, muscle injury rates in professional football remain high. Balagué et al. (2024) propose a new hypothesis: certain strength training methods, although designed to enhance performance, may actually increase the risk of muscle injuries for some players.
Traditional Strength Training: A Double-Edged Sword
Conventional strength training focuses on isolated and repetitive exercises. While these improve specific muscle groups, they often ignore the body’s complex neuromuscular system. Such training can disrupt natural muscle synergies and reduce movement adaptability, especially when strength gains are achieved too quickly without holistic adaptation at the muscular, neural, and joint levels.
The Role of Intermuscular Connectivity
The authors introduce an innovative approach centered on intermuscular connectivity. This concept emphasizes the coordination between muscles during movement. By using surface electromyography (EMG) to assess connectivity patterns, practitioners can detect disruptions in neuromuscular synergies and identify players who may be at higher risk of injury.
Injuries as a Cumulative Process
Injuries rarely occur as a result of a single incident. Instead, they often stem from an accumulation of micro-injuries caused by excessive training load, poor recovery, or abrupt changes in the training environment. These silent injuries weaken the system over time, eventually leading to a more severe lesion.
Conclusion
Building muscle mass or physical power is not enough to prevent injuries. Strength training in football should be reframed as a dynamic, individualized process that supports global neuromuscular coordination. Only then can it truly contribute to sustainable performance and injury prevention.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666506924000300
