More than 70% of time away from sports is attributed to musculoskeletal injuries, underscoring the urgency of gaining a deeper understanding of the factors influencing injury occurrence and recovery timelines. Engineered ligaments, developed in vitro using cells from human anterior cruciate ligaments or hamstring tendons, provide a controlled environment for studying sinew structure and function.
Research by Baar into engineered ligaments reveals that sinews, tissues akin to ligament and bone, quickly become refractory to exercise stimuli. This means that within 10 minutes of starting an activity, these tissue have reached the maximum molecular response and these signals begin switching off after this time period! This suggests that short bursts of activity (<10 minutes) with extended periods of rest (approximately 6 hours) are optimal for training these dense tissues.
Additionally, this research has uncovered the negative impact of high levels of estrogen on sinew function and the role of a molecular factor released in response to high intensity exercise has in enhancing collagen synthesis and function.
Take home message: if you want stronger ligaments then you should be intentionally loading them at high intensity for 10 minutes or less followed by 6 hours of rest prior to repeating.
Feel like you need guidance on making your tissues more robust for injury prevention? Book an appointment today with one of the experts at Rise Rehabilitation and Sport Performance.
References:
Baar K. Minimizing Injury and Maximizing Return to Play: Lessons from Engineered Ligaments. Sports Med. 2017 Mar;47(Suppl 1):5-11. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0719-x. PMID: 28332110; PMCID: PMC5371618.