Strengthen tendons and ligaments?

Recently I saw a competition in which there were a team of judo players all a bit unfit and over weight. Two of them fell on their shoulder and injured it and were out of the competition.

I did wonder if the reason was that they do not seem to do much strength training in that club.

After that I wondered if it is correct to believe that strength training can strengthen tendons and ligaments or have I misunderstood how the body works.

So anyone, can  strength training, strengthen tendons and ligaments?

Has anyone any thoughts, can strength training strengthen ligaments?

samsmith2424 wrote:Recently I saw a competition in which there were a team of judo players all a bit unfit and over weight. Two of them fell on their shoulder and injured it and were out of the competition.

I did wonder if the reason was that they do not seem to do much strength training in that club.

After that I wondered if it is correct to believe that strength training can strengthen tendons and ligaments or have I misunderstood how the body works.

So anyone, can  strength training, strengthen tendons and ligaments?

I doubt that the problems you raise have anything to do with a lack of strength of ligaments. Problems with ligaments, in my view, are not a result of anything being wrong with the ligaments themselves, but either with congenital deviations, with known weaknesses (for example being female --> hence the circular changes in ligament stretchability and laxity as induced by menstrual cycle changes, and the anatomical problems caused by the much wider pelvis leading to a larger angle between thigh and shinbone, hence making the knees much more prone to injuries than in males). The quality of ligaments is mostly genetically determined and probably mostly determined by activities and development around puberty. When problems with the tendons and ligaments arise, they are usually not caused by the tendons and ligaments themselves but by the joint they compose or by insufficient strength of the surrounding musculature. In other words, you largely provide problems in ligaments and tendons by developing good musculature so that it is the muscles that absorb all the stress instead of the ligaments and sinew. Because ligament and tendons have very poor blood circulation it is very difficult if not impossible to "develop" them. They do not respond to training the way that muscles do, even though obviously tendons en muscle belly are both part of the same muscle. The issue of tendon development would require alterations in gene expression.

Thank you. I always thought strength training helped the tendons and ligaments and then I stopped to think about it and I could not see how. Your answer was helpful.

Their injury can be several things. Over training, genetic or training with improper form. I see folks doing muscle ups every day and it is eventually going to take a toll. Bar training with explosive patterns are getting popular but its great way to eventually tear a shoulder. Depends on several things.