Weight resistance training (RT) is an essential component of physical conditioning programs to improve the quality of life and physical fitness in different ages and populations. This integrative review aimed to analyze the scientific evidence on the relationship between exercise selection and the appearance of musculoskeletal injuries in physical fitness centers (PFC). The PubMed or Medline, EMBASE or Science Direct, Google Scholar and PEDro databases were selected to examine the available literature using a Boolean algorithm with search terms. The review process was performed using the five-stage approach for an integrative review and it was reported according to the PRISMA in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport Medicine and Sports Science (PERSiST) guidelines. A total of 39 peer-reviewed articles (Price index = 71.7%) met the inclusion criteria and evaluated the link between exercise selection and the incidence of injuries in exercisers who regularly attend PFC. Most injuries occur to the shoulders, elbows, vertebrae of the spine, and knees. Although the injury etiologies are multifactorial, the findings of the reviewed articles include the impacts of overuse, short post-exercise recovery periods, poor conditioning in the exercised body areas, frequent use of heavy loads, improper technique in certain exercises, and the abuse of performance- and image-enhancing drugs. Practical recommendations addressed to clinical exercise physiologists, exercise professionals, and health professionals are given in this paper. The exercise selection in RT programs requires professional supervision and adhering to proper lifting techniques and training habits that consider the anatomical and biomechanical patterns of the musculoskeletal structures, as well as genetic, pedagogical, and methodological aspects directly related to the stimulus–response process to mitigate the occurrence of RT-related injuries in PFC.

Waist girth (WG) represents a quick, simple, and inexpensive tool that correlates with excess of fat mass in humans; however, this measurement does not provide information on body composition. The evaluation of body composition is one of the main components in the assessment of nutritional status. Indeed, the use of anthropometry-based equations to estimate body fat and fat-free mass is a frequent strategy. Considering the lack of validation in the Colombian population, the aim of this research study (the F20 Project) is to externally validate WG-based equations (e.g., relative fat mass), and also to develop and validate new models that include WG to estimate body composition in Colombian adults compared to DXA. This cross-sectional study will be carried out following the guidelines for Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology–Nutritional Epidemiology (STROBE–nut). Using stratified probabilistic sampling, the study population will be adults with different levels of physical activity residing in Medellín and its metropolitan area. The results of this study will not only validate the estimation performance of the current WG-based equations, but they will also develop new equations to estimate body composition in the Colombian population. This will improve professional practice in health, exercise, and sports sciences (ClinicalTrials.gov ID #NCT05450588).

Currently, the treatment for the central nervous system (CNS) and neurocognitive fluctuations as a result of sports injuries is considered a relatively uncovered area under the sports neuroscience paradigm. For example, the compensatory neural changes (e.g., brain cortical changes) and the cognitive load can create a feedforward loop that affects recovery and relapse after a musculoskeletal injury. Although several methodologies have been promoted (e.g., brain mapping systems, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility), neuromuscular deficits are frequently non-assessed and non-intervened during rehabilitation practices. Here we present an up-to-date description of the most relevant CNS changes after injury, the concept of somatotopic maps, and their relationship with motor control, intracortical inhibition, and cortical facilitation processes. Neuroplasticity strategies beyond the traditional structural-based approaches on the injured tissue are also covered; however, further research is needed to establish evidence-based recommendations for sports professionals.