In our recent article in Sports Medicine, we discussed the “normal” tissue response to training load and demonstrated the complex interaction among training intensity, volume and frequency, as well as the impact of these training variables on the recovery of specific tissues and systems.
It takes time to thoroughly read research papers – and it can be difficult sometimes to decide how to apply these research findings in your practice. Different tissues and systems follow different recovery timelines, so in this short blog, I provide some key takeaways to help you determine the “appropriate” response to loading.
- Identify the Most Vulnerable Tissue
Before beginning a rehabilitation or training program, identify the most vulnerable tissue. What is the typical load-response for that tissue and system? This will help you plan your loading and recovery timeframes to optimize adaptation.
- Monitor the Response to Load
To adequately determine training adaptations, interpret tissue and system stress within an athlete monitoring framework. The only way to know if your athlete or patient is tolerating the training stress is to monitor the response. When the “expected” and “actual” responses don’t align, you may have to adjust the program.
- Maintain Health of Non-Injured Tissues
Many activities involve the integrated function of different tissues (e.g. muscle, tendon, bone and cartilage are all loaded during sprinting). If your athlete or patient is restricted due to injury to one tissue, remember to maintain the health of surrounding tissues. In many cases, you will need to be creative to maintain tissue health, particularly if normal loading activities are not possible. But focus on what the athlete can do, rather than what they can’t do!
- Maintain Global Capacity
When injuries occur, local tissue capacity will be reduced. In these situations, training “around” the injured tissue will help to maintain global capacity. Maintaining global capacity (or system health) will prevent loss of lean muscle mass and also promote adaptive hormonal secretions that can support tissue healing. Importantly, it gives athletes the best chance of making an impact when they do return to sport.
Download the Load-Response chart for your clinic or weight room here!
References
Gabbett TJ & Oetter E. (2024). From tissue to system: what constitutes an appropriate response to loading? Sports Med. In press.
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