WHY STRENGTH MATTERS
It’s no surprise that at Headquarters Physical Therapy we value strength training above all other methods and modalities of injury rehabilitation and injury risk reduction. To date, we have yet to see compelling evidence that any other treatment methodology has the same efficacy in reducing non-contact injury risk (70% in young athletes1). But aside from reducing musculoskeletal injuries, we value strength training for a myriad of other reasons that we feel should be equally important to us as orthopedic physical therapists.
Diabetes
Increasing lean body mass while reducing excess fat mass on the body has positive effects on the body’s sensitivity to insulin. In other words, blood sugar regulation is improved with the addition of muscle tissue.
While the reduction of fat mass is ultimately a result of calories in < calories out, muscle tissue development requires resistance training of some form or fashion.
Aging
Bone density improves with repeated load. In other words, your bone health benefits from your participation in strength training programs. This is particularly applicable to women, those of Asian descent, and the aging in particular.
What most people do not realize is that resistance training has been shown to also reduce all-cause mortality. In other words, getting stronger has been shown to reduce one’s risk of dying from all possible diseases2.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Resistance training is not typically thought to be very substantially beneficial for heart health. Guess what? It actually can have the same blood pressure lowering effects on the person with high blood pressure as aerobic training. When you combine the two methods in a well designed exercise program you get an even greater return on investment in regards to hypertension.
Psychosocial Benefits
The mental health crisis is becoming increasingly apparent in the United States. Research is showing that engaging in physical activity, whether resistance training or aerobic training, is beneficial in dealing with depressive states. Because of this we can’t say that one is better than the other, but we do recommend that the public engage in both for the reasons mentioned above.
We can’t definitively say why resistance training can be beneficial for mental health, but our conclusions would be that engaging in a meaningful, goal-oriented program while seeing improvements in physical health contribute to a more confident and positive outlook.
Additionally, people who engage in strength training tend to do so in social circles and we are firm believers that solid social support is as helpful in mental health as it is in the rehab process.
*Disclaimer: We are not mental health experts and recommend that you seek consultation with one if you are experiencing challenges with mental health.
But here’s the thing…
Strength training is a vague and broad concept. And unfortunately the vast majority of strength training in rehab settings is grossly underdosed (meaning not enough stimulus for the individual to generate a positive effect) and poorly designed (principles of overload, recovery management, and exercise selection are not beneficial for the individual).
The fact of the matter is we aren’t the only physical therapists in Portland, OR that claims to use strength training as a cornerstone of the rehab process.
But we’re really good at it. Isn’t it time you had a rehab program that was really going to get you to the goals you want? We sure think so. Reach out to us if you want to get stronger!
Zwolski et al. Resistance Training in Youth: Laying the Foundation for Injury Prevention and Physical Literacy. Sports Health. 2017 Sept/Oct; 9(5):436-443.
Fisher et al. A minimal dose approach to resistance training for the older adult; the prophylactic for aging. Exp Gerontol. 2017 Dec 1;99:80-86.