One aspect of athletics that many people do not understand is that when athletes lift weights on the side of their sport, the injury rate will drop dramatically. The University of Florida has done many studies and have proved that weight lifting not only reduces injury rate, but recovery-time as well (Meisenheimer par. 7). It is because muscles are what protect bones, tendons, and ligaments. If the muscles are stronger, they can more easily protect themselves and what is under them. 74 percent of the upper-body injuries in the group of athletes studied by the University of Florida, were from the non-lifting athletes (Meisenheimer par. 3). Then 64 percent of the lower-body injuries sustained to the athletes were subject to non-lifters. In other words, the statistics prove lifting athletes truly do have less of a chance getting injured.
Weight lifting does help reduce the chance of getting injured, athletes still must have the desire to make a recovery and return to their sport. Among the football community, it is a widely accepted opinion that an ACL or other knee injury is the hardest injury to return from. It is most likely due to the fact that the ligaments in the knee are are very important in running, blocking, and basic cuts made by backs. In a study of 13 division one NCAA teams, they found surprising evidence of player return from knee injuries (ACL Tears are not the End for College Football Players par. 2). With the given that all NCAA athletes lift weights, the study showed that 82 percent of the Division One athletes return from a major knee injury such as an ACL. To be more specific the return rate of starters is 94 percent, while the return rate of non-starters is 73 percent. This data can be interpreted that lifting truly does affect return rate and recovery time of athletes, with a little motivation the athletes can to anything they put their minds to.
Weight lifting does help reduce the chance of getting injured, athletes still must have the desire to make a recovery and return to their sport. Among the football community, it is a widely accepted opinion that an ACL or other knee injury is the hardest injury to return from. It is most likely due to the fact that the ligaments in the knee are are very important in running, blocking, and basic cuts made by backs. In a study of 13 division one NCAA teams, they found surprising evidence of player return from knee injuries (ACL Tears are not the End for College Football Players par. 2). With the given that all NCAA athletes lift weights, the study showed that 82 percent of the Division One athletes return from a major knee injury such as an ACL. To be more specific the return rate of starters is 94 percent, while the return rate of non-starters is 73 percent. This data can be interpreted that lifting truly does affect return rate and recovery time of athletes, with a little motivation the athletes can to anything they put their minds to.