Injury Prevention Strategies for Strength Athletes
Strength sports such as powerlifting and strongman are demanding disciplines that push the limits of physical performance. However, with great physical demand comes a higher risk of injury. My unique position as both a strength coach and an individual living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) provides me with first-hand insight into the challenges posed by injury—both the freak, unpredictable kind and the more common overuse injuries. Having navigated these challenges personally and having helped many athletes recover from what might have been career-ending injuries, I understand the complex relationship between strength, resilience, and recovery.
EDS, a connective tissue disorder, has forced me to prioritise mobilisation, stability, and preventative measures in my own training. This perspective, combined with over a decade of coaching experience, has allowed me to work with a diverse range of athletes—from world champions to complete beginners—helping them mitigate injury risks and come back stronger after setbacks. I have witnessed athletes who were told they'd never compete again achieve personal bests through the right blend of science-backed methods and practical application.
Understanding common injuries and adopting proactive strategies to prevent them is essential for sustained progress and longevity in these sports. This article will explore the most frequent injuries seen in powerlifting and strongman, along with evidence-based strategies to minimise risk, emphasising warm-up routines, mobility exercises, and recovery techniques. Key concepts of mobilisation and stability, as discussed in my previous articles "Lower Body Mobilisation for Squat Performance" and "Building Stability in the Squat for Strongman and Powerlifting", will also be integrated.
Common Injuries in Strength Athletes
Research indicates that strength athletes most frequently experience injuries to the shoulders, lower back, knees, and elbows. According to a review by Keogh and Winwood (2017), the repetitive heavy loading of these joints in powerlifting and strongman events contributes to wear and tear, particularly in exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses. These injuries are often exacerbated by insufficient recovery, poor movement mechanics, and overuse. A second study by Würtz et al. (2018) highlights that improper warm-up routines and inadequate mobility work can further increase susceptibility to these injuries.
Common injuries include:
Shoulder Impingement: Often due to repetitive bench pressing and overhead work, leading to rotator cuff and labrum issues. Lifters with insufficient thoracic mobility or scapular control are particularly at risk.
Lower Back Strains and Disc Injuries: Caused by improper bracing during deadlifts and squats. Weakness in core stability or over-arching in the lumbar spine compounds the issue.
Knee Tendinopathies: Resulting from overuse in squatting and strongman-specific movements like yoke walks. Poor knee tracking or insufficient ankle mobility often contribute to these injuries.
Elbow Tendinopathies: Frequently seen in lifters performing repetitive pressing movements with poor wrist or elbow alignment. These are particularly common in athletes with imbalances between tricep and forearm strength.
Biceps Tendon Tears: Often occurring in strongman events like stone loading or log pressing. Improper gripping technique or overloading can lead to these catastrophic injuries.
Groin Strains: Common in sumo deadlifts or wide-stance squatting due to the high demands on hip adductors.
Wrist Sprains and Overuse Injuries: Frequently seen in events requiring grip strength, such as farmer’s carries or axle bar lifts.
Achilles Tendon Strains: These can occur during explosive events like tyre flips or sled pushes, especially if the athlete lacks proper warm-up or ankle mobility.
Prevention requires a comprehensive understanding of movement mechanics, training volume, and the role of recovery in mitigating injury risk. Many of these injuries can be avoided by prioritising consistent warm-ups, integrating mobility exercises, and incorporating accessory work to address weaknesses.
The Importance of Mobilisation and Stability
From my prior work, I’ve emphasised that effective injury prevention hinges on developing mobility and stability—two pillars of resilient strength athletes. In "Lower Body Mobilisation for Squat Performance", I discussed the role of dynamic mobility drills in preparing joints and muscles for heavy loading. Warm-ups that include hip circles, dynamic lunges, and banded distractions improve range of motion and tissue readiness. Similarly, in "Building Stability in the Squat for Strongman and Powerlifting", I explored how bracing and controlled eccentric movements create a foundation of stability, reducing the likelihood of compensatory patterns that lead to injury.
As emphasised by Donnie Thompson, the pioneer of innovative strength tools like the "Bowtie" and "Fatbells," proper mobilisation and stabilisation of muscles and joints are critical for both injury prevention and performance optimisation. Thompson has long advocated for an integrated approach that focuses on maintaining joint integrity while building the strength necessary for heavy lifts.
Mobilisation is the foundation of movement preparation. Thompson’s use of tools like bands, rollers, and his specific "Body Tempering" methods helps athletes enhance tissue quality and joint range of motion. These techniques aim to reduce stiffness, improve blood flow, and prepare the body for the demands of training. For example, before heavy bench pressing, Thompson often recommends banded shoulder distractions and tricep mobility drills to ensure the shoulder girdle is primed for the load.
Stabilisation, on the other hand, involves strengthening the supporting musculature around major joints. Thompson frequently highlights the importance of exercises like reverse hypers for the lower back and glutes, which not only build strength but also reinforce spinal stability. Similarly, his emphasis on the "Bowtie" as a tool for scapular positioning underscores the need for proper alignment during pressing and pulling movements.
Examples of Thompson’s recommendations include:
Body Tempering: Using heavy rollers or cylinders to prepare soft tissue for lifting. This method increases blood flow, reduces adhesions, and enhances recovery.
Band Pull-Aparts: Strengthens the posterior deltoids and improves scapular control, crucial for overhead and bench pressing.
Banded Good Mornings: Builds hamstring and lower back endurance while reinforcing hip hinge mechanics.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretches: Enhances hip mobility to improve squat depth and reduce lower back strain.
Donnie Thompson’s contributions to the strength world provide a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimise performance while staying injury-free. By incorporating his mobilisation and stabilisation techniques, lifters can address weak points, improve movement quality, and build resilience in the most injury-prone areas.
Drawing From the Conjugate Method
Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell have long advocated the conjugate method for minimising overuse injuries. The conjugate method’s genius lies in its ability to vary exercises while continually addressing weak points and maximising strength development. This philosophy has profoundly influenced my approach to programming for athletes, allowing me to help individuals who were once at the brink of giving up to achieve world-class performances, even winning titles on the global stage.
One of the method’s key principles is the rotation of exercises on a weekly basis. For example, replacing conventional deadlifts with block pulls or sumo variations reduces repetitive stress on the lower back while still effectively building posterior chain strength. Similarly, rotating variations of the squat—such as box squats, safety bar squats, or cambered bar squats—prevents overuse injuries in the knees and hips while enhancing stability and overall power.
The conjugate system also incorporates an emphasis on both maximal and dynamic effort work. Maximal effort lifts challenge the nervous system and teach athletes to strain under heavy loads, while dynamic effort sessions focus on speed, explosiveness, and technical proficiency. By balancing these components, athletes avoid the plateaus and injuries that often come from repetitive training.
Practical examples of how the conjugate method minimises injury include:
Specialty Bars: The safety squat bar or cambered bar reduces stress on the shoulders and wrists during heavy squats, while also targeting stabilising muscles more effectively.
Accommodating Resistance: Using bands and chains in lifts allows for variable resistance, reducing joint stress in the most vulnerable positions while maximising force production through the full range of motion.
Weak Point Training: Athletes work on targeted areas such as the posterior chain, upper back, or grip strength to eliminate imbalances that can lead to injury.
High Variety in Assistance Work: Regularly switching assistance exercises—like alternating between Romanian deadlifts, glute-ham raises, and reverse hypers—addresses weak points while preventing overuse injuries.
As a coach, this method has proven invaluable in tailoring programming to the specific needs of each athlete. By integrating the principles of variation, specificity, and weak point training, the conjugate system provides a framework that not only builds incredible strength but also safeguards longevity in the sport.
Athletes I’ve coached using this approach have seen remarkable improvements in their resilience. From addressing chronic knee pain through box squats to rehabilitating back injuries with reverse hypers, the conjugate method has allowed athletes to train smarter and perform better over time. This programming bias stems from my firm belief that training should enhance an athlete’s longevity while still pushing their limits. It’s a philosophy that has helped some go from considering retirement to standing on the podium at world championships.
Conclusion
Injury prevention is not merely an accessory to strength training; it is a cornerstone of long-term success. This article has explored the most common injuries in strength sports and highlighted evidence-based strategies for warm-ups, mobility, stability, and recovery. Drawing from Donnie Thompson’s insights on mobilisation, Louie Simmons’ conjugate method, and my own coaching experience, these approaches provide a comprehensive system for building resilient, high-performing athletes.
Whether you are addressing shoulder impingement, enhancing stability with reverse hypers, or rotating squat variations to prevent overuse injuries, every strategy discussed contributes to one goal: keeping you stronger, longer.
If you are ready to take your training to the next level, my coaching services are designed to meet your needs, whether you are recovering from an injury or preparing for the next championship. Let’s work together to build your strongest and healthiest self. Contact me today to start your journey.
References
Keogh, J.W.L., & Winwood, P.W. (2017). The epidemiology of injuries across the weight-training sports. Sports Medicine, 47(3), 537-552. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0575-0
Würtz, A., Jakobsen, M.D., & Schuitema, S. (2018). The impact of warm-up strategies on injury prevention and performance in strength sports. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 17(4), 645-654.
Comentários