Injury Risk and Prevention in Strongman Training and Competition: A Review of the Literature and Practical Applications
Strongman training and competition involve high-intensity, unconventional resistance exercises that pose unique injury risks. Strength sports, including powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman, have grown in popularity over recent decades. Strongman, in particular, presents a unique challenge due to its reliance on unconventional movements, awkward objects, and high-intensity competition settings (Winwood et al., 2014). However, with these demands comes an increased risk of injury. Understanding the prevalence, mechanisms, and mitigation strategies for injuries in strongman is crucial for both athletes and coaches to ensure longevity in the sport.
This article first examines the existing academic literature on the most common injuries in strongman athletes, the specific events and movements most likely to cause injury, the timing of injuries, gender differences, recovery durations, and key risk factors. The discussion then transitions into practical strategies for prehabilitation and injury prevention based on best practices in strongman training. Finally, the conclusion summarises the findings and outlines how athletes and coaches can take proactive steps to reduce injury risk while optimising performance.
How This Article Connects to My Other Injury Risk and Prevention in Strongman Training Resources
This article focuses on identifying and explaining the core risk factors that contribute to injuries in strongman athletes—such as high training loads, poor technique, insufficient warm-ups, and previous injuries. It serves as the foundational knowledge for understanding why injuries happen in the first place.
In contrast, other articles work synergistically with this one by providing specific, actionable strategies to prevent and mitigate these risks:
"Injury Prevention Strategies for Strength Athletes" builds on this foundation by outlining general prevention methods applicable to all strength athletes.
"The Unbreakable Athlete" emphasises long-term durability and resilience, focusing on building the strongest, most injury-resistant version of an athlete through smart programming and structural balance.
"Bulletproof Biceps for Strongman" hones in on one of the most commonly injured areas in strongman, providing direct prehab and training interventions to strengthen the biceps and reduce injury risk.
Together, these articles form a complete system:
Understand what causes injuries (this article).
Learn general injury prevention principles (Injury Prevention Strategies).
Develop structural resilience for long-term durability (The Unbreakable Athlete).
Target specific injury-prone areas like the biceps (Bulletproof Biceps).
This layered approach ensures that strongman athletes have both the theoretical knowledge and practical solutions to minimise injury risks and maximise longevity in the sport.
Common Injuries in Strongman Athletes
Studies indicate that strongman athletes frequently experience injuries in the following areas:
Lower Back: The most commonly injured region, often due to excessive spinal loading (Keogh & Winwood, 2017).
Shoulder: High incidence of injuries related to overhead pressing movements (Hindle et al., 2019).
Biceps: Susceptibility to strains and tears, particularly during strongman-specific movements such as the Atlas stone lift (Winwood et al., 2014).
Knee: Significant injury rates due to high-force squatting and lunging movements (Wirth et al., 2016).
Strongman training appears to carry a higher injury risk than traditional resistance training, with a reported injury rate of 5.5 per 1,000 training hours (Winwood et al., 2014).
Timing and Movements Associated with Injuries
Injuries in strongman often occur during specific training phases and exercises:
Strongman Implement Training: Athletes are 1.9 times more likely to sustain injuries during events like the Atlas stones, tire flips, and log lifts compared to traditional exercises (Winwood et al., 2014).
Traditional Resistance Training: Despite the higher risk with implements, 54% of injuries still result from conventional exercises such as deadlifts and squats, emphasising the importance of proper technique across all training modalities (Keogh & Winwood, 2017).
Competition settings further elevate injury risk due to maximal exertion and fatigue accumulation (Graham et al., 2018).
Recovery Durations
While specific recovery durations for strongman athletes vary by injury type and severity, general recovery trends include:
Muscle Strains: Typically require 2–6 weeks of rehabilitation (Wirth et al., 2016).
Ligament Injuries (e.g., ACL Tears): Can necessitate 6–12 months of structured rehabilitation (Hindle et al., 2019).
Biceps Ruptures: Often require surgical intervention and a recovery period of 4–6 months (Keogh & Winwood, 2017).
Gender Differences in Injury Rates and Types
Research comparing male and female injury rates in strength sports provides insight into gender-related differences:
Injury Rates: Males exhibit a higher injury rate (15.8%) compared to females (10.9%) in resistance-based sports (Graham et al., 2018).
Injury Types: Females are more prone to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries due to anatomical and hormonal differences, while males are at higher risk for upper body injuries (Hewett et al., 2006).
Risk Factors for Injury
Several factors increase the likelihood of injuries in strongman athletes:
High Training Loads: Balancing Volume and Recovery
One of the most significant risk factors for injury in strongman athletes is excessive training volume without adequate recovery. High training loads, particularly when combined with intense competition preparation, can lead to overuse injuries, chronic fatigue, and performance plateaus.
The Training-Injury Paradox: While progressive overload is necessary for strength development, a rapid increase in intensity or volume without allowing for proper adaptation can significantly raise injury risk (Gabbett, 2016).
Monitoring Fatigue: Athletes should track key indicators of overtraining, such as decreased performance, prolonged soreness, sleep disturbances, and reduced motivation.
Deload Weeks & Periodisation: Structuring training cycles with built-in recovery phases helps manage fatigue and minimise the risk of overuse injuries.
Recovery Optimisation: Adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and active recovery sessions are essential for mitigating the effects of high training loads.
Inadequate Technique: The Root of Many Injuries
Strongman movements place extreme demands on the body, and poor lifting technique dramatically increases the likelihood of injury. Technical proficiency is particularly crucial in high-risk events like tire flips, yoke carries, and Atlas stone loading.
Common Technical Errors:
Poor spinal positioning during deadlifts and carries, increasing lower back strain.
Inefficient bracing mechanics, leading to instability under heavy loads.
Incorrect foot placement and poor force transfer in pressing movements.
Technical Drilling: Regular practice of movement patterns, under submaximal loads, helps reinforce proper mechanics.
Coaching & Feedback: Video analysis and professional coaching provide critical insights into movement deficiencies that might not be immediately obvious to the athlete (Hindle et al., 2019).
Insufficient Warm-Up: Setting the Body Up for Injury
A well-structured warm-up prepares the body for the demands of training, increasing blood flow, improving mobility, and activating key muscle groups. Neglecting this crucial step significantly heightens the risk of acute injuries.
The Risks of Skipping Warm-Ups: Without proper preparation, joints and muscles are more susceptible to strains, sprains, and tears (Keogh & Winwood, 2017).
Components of an Effective Warm-Up:
General Warm-Up: Light aerobic work (e.g., sled dragging, cycling) to increase circulation.
Dynamic Mobility: Hip openers, thoracic rotations, and ankle mobility drills to improve movement range.
Activation Work: Banded exercises to engage the shoulders, glutes, and core before loading heavy weights.
Specific Warm-Up Sets: Gradual build-up to working loads, reinforcing movement patterns under lighter resistance.
Previous Injuries: A Predictor of Future Issues
Athletes with a history of injuries are at an elevated risk of re-injury due to lingering weaknesses, imbalances, or compensatory movement patterns.
The Injury Cycle: Once an athlete sustains an injury, surrounding muscle groups often overcompensate, leading to biomechanical inefficiencies and an increased likelihood of future injuries (Wirth et al., 2016).
Rehabilitation & Reintegration: Returning to full strength requires more than just rest—structured rehab protocols must be followed to restore full function and prevent compensatory movement patterns.
Preventative Maintenance: Addressing past injuries through prehabilitation exercises, mobility work, and ongoing assessments helps break the cycle of repeated injuries.
Injury Prevention Strategies for Strongman Athletes
While strongman carries inherent risks, athletes can take proactive steps to mitigate injuries. Strategies include:
Technical Mastery: The Foundation of Injury Prevention
The first and most important step in injury prevention is refining technique. Strongman events place extreme demands on the body, requiring an efficient and technically sound approach to lifting, carrying, and loading.
Bracing Mechanics: Proper intra-abdominal pressure reduces spinal loading and mitigates lower back injuries.
Foot Positioning: Understanding stance width and foot engagement optimises power transfer in events such as yoke walks and log pressing.
Movement Efficiency: Athletes should refine movement patterns to avoid excessive strain on joints, particularly in high-risk lifts like tire flips and Atlas stone loading.
Regular coaching feedback and video analysis can help athletes identify and correct inefficiencies before they result in injury.
The reality is this technical mastery will only come from long term exposure to event training and taking huge amounts of time out of event training can lead to injury risks in the future,
Prehabilitation & Strength Balance
Preventative strengthening is essential for reducing the likelihood of injuries before they occur. A structured prehabilitation (prehab) routine focuses on strengthening weak links and improving muscular balance.
Shoulder Stability Drills: Incorporating banded external rotations, face pulls, and kettlebell bottoms-up presses enhances shoulder integrity, reducing the risk of pressing-related injuries.
Glute Activation Work: Weak glutes contribute to poor hip extension mechanics, leading to lower back strain. Mini-band walks, hip thrusts, and sled drags help reinforce proper engagement.
Direct Arm Training: Strongman athletes are particularly prone to biceps strains and tears. Hammer curls, reverse curls, and isometric holds strengthen the tendons and musculature involved in heavy pulling movements (Bulletproof Biceps for Strongman, TEAMJOSHHEZZA.com).
Gradual Load Progression: The Smart Approach to Training
Overuse injuries often stem from increasing intensity or volume too aggressively. A structured progression model allows the body to adapt while minimising injury risk.
Progressive Overload: Strength should be built incrementally, avoiding drastic spikes in training volume.
Fatigue Management: Balancing high-intensity days with lower-intensity recovery sessions ensures optimal performance without overloading soft tissues.
Auto-Regulation: RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and velocity-based training metrics can help athletes adjust workloads based on recovery status (Injury Prevention Strategies for Strength Athletes, TEAMJOSHHEZZA.com).
Specialty Bar and Variation Utilisation
Using specialty bars and variations in training can reduce joint stress while still developing maximal strength. Strongman athletes should consider implementing:
Safety Squat Bars (SSB): Reduces strain on the shoulders while improving core and posterior chain development.
Cambered Bars: Enhances stability requirements, improving joint resilience while reducing excessive spinal compression.
Partial Range Movements: Block pulls and high box squats allow for heavy loading with reduced risk of overstressing joints (The Unbreakable Athlete, TEAMJOSHHEZZA.com).
Strategic bar and implement selection can help strongman athletes continue training at a high level while minimising repetitive stress injuries.
Mobility and Recovery Protocols
Recovery is often an afterthought in strongman training, but prioritising mobility and recovery work is crucial for long-term performance.
Strongman-Specific Mobility Drills: Focus on hip, thoracic, and ankle mobility to ensure optimal movement patterns during events.
Contrast Therapy & Soft Tissue Work: Alternating between hot and cold therapy, along with deep tissue work (foam rolling, massage), aids in muscle recovery.
Active Recovery Sessions: Light sled dragging, swimming, and mobility flows help promote circulation and reduce stiffness
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If you don’t know, now you know
Strongman athletes face a unique set of injury risks, particularly in the lower back, shoulders, biceps, and knees. High-risk events such as the Atlas stone lift and tire flips increase susceptibility to acute injuries. While males tend to experience higher injury rates overall, females are at greater risk for specific injuries like ACL tears. By integrating structured prehab, gradual progression, technical mastery, and recovery protocols, strongman athletes can significantly reduce injury risk and ensure longevity in the sport.
For athletes looking to take their training to the next level while minimising injury risks, structured coaching tailored to individual biomechanics and injury history is essential. If you're serious about long-term success in strongman, I offer personalised coaching services that incorporate cutting-edge injury prevention strategies and evidence-based programming. Get in touch today and start building an unbreakable foundation for strength!
References
Gabbett, T.J. (2016) ‘The training—injury prevention paradox: should athletes be training smarter and harder?’, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(5), pp. 273-280.
Graham, S., Keogh, J.W.L. and Winwood, P.W. (2018) ‘Reliability of the Functional Movement Screen and injury prediction in strength sports: A systematic review’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 32(11), pp. 3101-3110.
Hewett, T.E., Myer, G.D. and Ford, K.R. (2006) ‘Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female athletes: Part 1, mechanisms and risk factors’, American Journal of Sports Medicine, 34(2), pp. 299-311.
Hindle, K.B., Whitcomb, T.J., Briggs, W.O. and Hong, J. (2019) ‘Proprioception and its role in injury prevention and rehabilitation’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(3), pp. 927-934.
Keogh, J.W.L. and Winwood, P.W. (2017) ‘The epidemiology of injuries across the weight-training sports’, Sports Medicine, 47(3), pp. 479-501.
Winwood, P.W., Keogh, J.W.L. and Harris, N.K. (2014) ‘The strength and conditioning practices of strongman competitors’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(1), pp. 67-80.
Wirth, K., Keiner, M., Fuhrmann, S. and Schmidtbleicher, D. (2016) ‘Effects of a 10-week weight training intervention on strength, power, and speed abilities in elite youth soccer players’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(4), pp. 1232-1243.
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