Name: CASSIO SILVA DAMBROZ
Publication date: 06/02/2026
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| RICHARD DIEGO LEITE | Advisor |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| DANILO SALES BOCALINI | Examinador Interno |
| OSVALDO COSTA MOREIRA | Examinador Externo |
| RICHARD DIEGO LEITE | Presidente |
Summary: The systematic practice of endurance modalities, such as street running and triathlon, involves high exposure to mechanical loads, which can result in a high incidence of musculoskeletal injuries. Strength training (ST) and muscular balance are identified as fundamental pillars for injury prevention and performance optimization, although a gap persists regarding the application of these strategies in the recreational context. This dissertation, structured in a collection-of-articles format, aimed to synthesize theoretical evidence on muscle imbalance and analyze the association between ST habits and the occurrence of injuries in recreational athletes. The first manuscript consists of a narrative review discussing the causes, assessment methods, and implications of muscle imbalance, highlighting Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition (AMI) and functional asymmetries as critical factors for cumulative overload. The second manuscript presents a cross-sectional study with 253 volunteers (39 ± 9.5 years), runners and triathletes residing in Brazil. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using binary logistic regression. The prevalence of injuries in the last six months was 64.8%, predominantly affecting the knee and calf. Multivariate analysis identified that older age and training experience longer than three years increase the odds of injury. In contrast, regular ST practice manifested as an independent and significant protective factor (OR = 0.293; 95%CI 0.110–0.784), reducing the chance of injury by approximately 71%, even when practiced with low volume and short rest intervals. It is concluded that the integration between understanding the mechanisms of muscle imbalance and adherence to strength training is essential for sports longevity, suggesting that structured strengthening acts as a critical modulator of tissue resilience against cumulative
endurance loading.
Keywords: Strength training. Running. Sports injuries. Muscle imbalance. Prevention.
