Getting Strong vs Absorbing Force
- Susan Peterson
- Apr 3
- 3 min read
Why Eccentric Training Prevents Overuse Injuries Many athletes focus on getting stronger. They lift heavier weights, push harder during workouts, and try to build as much force as possible by focusing on the “lifting” of weight.
But strength alone is not what protects the body from injury.
One of the most overlooked parts of training is the ability to absorb force. When muscles cannot handle the forces placed on them, the stress often shifts to tendons, joints, and the bone itself. Over time, that is when overuse injuries begin to develop.
Understanding the difference between concentric and eccentric muscle contractions can help explain why this happens.
Concentric vs Eccentric Muscle Contraction
Most exercises involve two phases of movement.
Concentric contraction occurs when the muscle shortens as it produces force. For example, during a bicep curl this happens when you lift the weight upward.
Eccentric contraction occurs when the muscle lengthens while controlling the movement. In the same example, this happens when you slowly lower the weight back down.
Many people train the concentric phase well but ignore the eccentric phase, which is of utmost importance for athletes.
Instead of controlling the lowering portion of the movement, the weight is often dropped quickly and gravity does the work.
Why Absorbing Force Matters
Running, jumping, returning a tennis serve, and most athletic movements involve repeated impact forces.
When your foot strikes the ground while running, the body must absorb that force quickly and safely. Studies show the body must absorb anywhere between 3 and 7 times your body weight.
If muscles are not trained to absorb force properly, the stress gets transferred to surrounding tissues such as:
tendons
ligaments
joint surfaces
bones
Over time this can lead to overuse injuries like:
Achilles tendon pain
patellar tendon irritation
plantar fasciitis
shoulder tendon problems
stress fractures
In many cases, the muscle simply was not trained to handle the load.
The Problem With Heavy Lifting Alone
Lifting heavy weights can build (concentric) strength, but that does not always mean the body is prepared to handle real-world (eccentric) forces. If the weight is lifted quickly and lowered quickly, the muscles are only being trained to produce force, not absorb it.
This often leads to a situation where athletes are strong but still develop chronic tendon irritation or overuse injuries.
How Eccentric Training Helps
Eccentric training focuses on the controlled lowering portion of a movement.
Instead of rushing through the exercise, the athlete lowers the weight slowly, often over six to eight seconds, while maintaining full range of motion.
This type of training strengthens the muscle while it is lengthening. That is exactly the type of control required when the body absorbs impact during activities like running or jumping.
When muscles are trained to absorb force properly, they help protect the tendons and joints around them.
Restoring Muscle Function
Sometimes muscles lose their ability to lengthen properly because of scar tissue buildup or chronic tightness. When this happens, the muscle cannot absorb force the way it should.
Techniques such as Active Release Techniques (ART) and Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) can help restore normal muscle movement and improve flexibility. This can’t be done with foam rolling, passive massage, tape, a “magic” shot, or a theragun because the muscle is in a passive and relaxed state. The key here is MOVEMENT!!!
Once normal movement is restored, eccentric strengthening exercises can help retrain the muscle to function properly again. The muscle is trained to move through a greater ROM that will increase your overall concentric strength as well.
Final Thoughts
Strength training is important, but strength alone does not prevent injuries.
Training muscles to absorb force through controlled eccentric movement is one of the most effective ways to protect the body from overuse injuries (tendinopathies and stress fractures).
For runners and other athletes, combining proper stretching (muscle lengthening), soft tissue therapy, and eccentric strengthening can help keep muscles healthy and performing at their best.
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