Why You Should Keep Strength Training—Even with Injuries or Aches

If you’re dealing with an injury, nagging joint pain, or chronic aches, the last thing you might feel like doing is strength training. And in some cases, well-meaning doctors may even recommend that you stop altogether.

But here’s the truth backed by current research: Stopping all resistance training can do more harm than good.

The Cost of Stopping Strength Training

When you stop resistance training—even for just 1–2 weeks—your body begins to lose muscle tissue, a process known as atrophy. According to research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, adults can lose up to 0.5–1% of muscle mass per day of complete disuse after injury or immobilization. Muscle strength declines even faster than muscle size, which affects everything from joint stability to balance and recovery (McMahon et al., 2019).

This loss isn’t just cosmetic. Muscle is protective. Lower muscle mass has been directly linked to:

• Higher risk of re-injury
• Longer recovery times
• Increased risk of falls and fractures
• Greater risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even mortality (Steffl et al., 2017)

Why “Stop Everything” Might Be Outdated Advice

In many cases, being told to completely stop strength training after an injury isn’t aligned with current best practices. A growing body of research, including studies from the British Journal of Sports Medicine, encourages modified, not eliminated, exercise protocols for most musculoskeletal issues. Continuing movement within a safe and pain-free range accelerates healing by improving circulation, maintaining mobility, and preserving tissue integrity.

Pain researcher Dr. Lorimer Moseley notes that “pain does not always mean damage,” and that graded movement helps retrain the nervous system, improving function and decreasing fear-based avoidance (Moseley, 2007).

Why We Modify, Not Eliminate

At Quench Training for Women, we specialize in helping clients train around pain or injury. Whether it’s a sore shoulder or elbow, a tweaked knee, or a chronic back or hip issue—we find ways to work the rest of your body and adjust your movement patterns to support healing.

For example:

• If you can’t squat, we might have you do supported split-stance holds or glute bridges.
• If pressing hurts your shoulder, we might switch to isometrics or lower-angle pulling movements.
• We also include corrective and mobility work designed to help address the root cause of the pain—not just mask it.

Remember: What You Don’t Use, You Lose

Every week you’re inactive, you’re not just losing strength—you’re losing the foundation for your long-term health, mobility, and independence.

Strength training done safely and with intelligent modifications is one of the best tools to:

• Speed up recovery
• Maintain joint integrity
• Prevent future injury
• Boost overall health and confidence

If you’re experiencing aches, pains, or coming off an injury, let’s talk. We’re here to help you move smarter, not stop moving.