Strength and Conditioning Coach Monarch Athletic Club Los Angeles, California, United States
Research Objectives: To investigate the ability of progressive strength training rehabilitation protocols to restore normal physical function and pain management post-injury. The therapeutic space relies heavily on traditional recovery methods and low impact/low load resistance training, stretching, balance, and isolated movements. This level of therapy does not sufficiently represent the dose-response relationship for every pain and injury management case. Concepts such as progressive overload and multi-joint movements assist in long-term healing, pain management, and recovery for professional athletes, recreational athletes, and the general population.
Design: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus for articles that included a combination of keyword Mesh terms related to the proposal topic and selected based on relevant criteria.
Setting: N/A
Participants: N/A
Interventions: N/A
Main Outcome Measures: The literature supported my hypothesis that strength-based rehab programs are more optimal than traditional rehab methods regarding pain and injury management and recovery. Studies have found that a program that consists of progressive overload methods, utilization of increase in volume, load, and rep scheme adjustments throughout the treatment period, and a strong emphasis on sustainability to avoid re-injury are critical factors in a rehabilitation program.
Results: This paper addressed the critical issues with traditional therapeutic injury rehabilitation methods and presented evidence-based solutions for optimal injury recovery and pain management for return to sport and activities of daily living. The main outcome was to provide a basis for practitioners and coaches to be mindful of concepts such as Progressive Overload and General Adaptation Syndrome to understand that unless their patient is challenged appropriately, there is a high rate of re-injury or non-optimal function post-traditional rehabilitation. Utilizing a strength-based approach will support the long-term sustainability of the athlete and decrease the risk of re-injury.
Conclusions: The exact perfect therapeutic prescription for injury remains elusive, which may be one reason for the lack of an apparent evidence-based best treatment practice.
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