The Importance of Muscle Activation for Injury Reduction in Athletics
Have you ever been injured at the very beginning of a session, even though you thought you were well prepared? A hamstring strain during warm-up, a muscle cramp on the first acceleration, knee pain from the first jump… This isn't bad luck. A study conducted on elite sprinters, hurdlers, and jumpers from the French Athletics Federation reveals that 95.6% of them experienced at least one athletics-related injury in their career, and in 49% of cases, it was the muscle tissue itself that was affected.
These injuries happen because the muscles were not activated before the effort. Not just "warm": activated. The nuance is essential.
Muscle activation vs. warm-up: the distinction that changes everything
Many athletes confuse the two. A general warm-up raises heart rate and body temperature. Muscle activation is when you send a precise signal to your nervous system to engage the muscle groups that will truly be working.
An unactivated muscle reacts with a delay. It is the lag between the nerve signal and the actual contraction that causes tears, cramps, awkward movements…
The difference? You can do 10 minutes of light jogging and still have "sleepy" hamstrings for your first hurdle. On the other hand, 6 minutes of targeted activation for your posterior chain, and those same muscles will be ready from the very first hurdle.
What studies really say about athletics injuries: muscles are the primary target
The study on FFA elites is clear: 49% of all athletics injuries affect muscles, and hamstrings alone account for 31.1% of diagnoses. Over a season, 61.8% of elite sprinters sustain at least one injury.
Among American university athletes followed for 4 years as part of the NCAA program, the hip-thigh area was the most frequently injured across all disciplines, and 32% of sprinting injuries specifically involved the hamstrings.
During the 14 international athletics championships analyzed between 2007 and 2018, the discipline with the highest proportion of injuries was sprinting, with 24% of injuries in men and 26% in women. Thigh muscle injuries were consistently the most frequent.
IZOM Athlétique warming balm for even better activation
Muscle activation involves movement, but it can be significantly enhanced by local tissue preparation beforehand. This is where the IZOM Athlétique warming balm comes in.
Applied to the most solicited areas: hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, calves depending on your specialty, it locally prepares your muscles before you start your activation exercises. It does not replace movement, but it amplifies your muscles' response to that movement.
How to integrate it concretely?
Before your activation exercises, apply the warming balm and massage the targeted areas until the product disappears. Then follow with your muscle activation protocol. The targeted warming sensation also helps you strengthen the mind-muscle connection, essential for quality activation. With a formula of 100% natural origin and manufactured in Île-de-France, the IZOM Athlétique warming balm is designed by and for athletes. Over 1,500 athletes have already incorporated it into their preparation.
Your muscle activation exercises in athletics
Since the areas most exposed to injuries in athletics are the hips, thighs, and hamstrings, activation should prioritize these areas.
Posterior chain activation (glutes, hamstrings)
One study showed that a specific glute activation protocol produced significant improvements in 5m and 10m sprint times, as well as in all tested jump measures.
- Clamshells with resistance band: Lying on your side, spread your knees while keeping your feet together. Targets the gluteus medius, often overlooked by runners. 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
- Bodyweight hip thrust: Resting on your shoulders, lift your pelvis, contracting your glutes in the high position.
- Dynamic single-leg bridge: Same position, alternating one leg. Works on stability and symmetry between both sides.
Anterior chain activation (quadriceps, psoas)
- Half squats with resistance band above the knees: Half-squats actively pushing the knees outwards.
- Controlled step-ups: Stepping up and down on a step with absolute control over knee-hip-foot alignment.
Stabilization and proprioception
- Dynamic single-leg balance: On one foot, slight oscillations of the torso forward and sideways. Essential for jumpers and hurdlers.
- Slow lateral lunges: Activate adductors and hip stabilizers, often neglected in sprinting.
Recommended total duration: 10 to 12 minutes after 5 minutes of light jogging.
The #1 mistake: stretching before activating
This is the most common reflex and one of the most counterproductive. A study compared the effects of different types of stretches on performance:
- Static stretches ≥ 60 seconds → performance reduction of 4.6% on average
- Dynamic stretches → performance improvement of +1.3% on average
Concretely: 3 minutes of static stretching on your hamstrings before your sprint, and you arrive at the race with muscles less reactive than if you had done 3 minutes of dynamic activation. The correct approach is to reserve static stretches for after the effort.
Other mistakes to avoid
Going too fast: Each activation repetition should be slow, controlled, intentional. If you don't feel the targeted muscle, you're going too fast.
Using the same routine for all disciplines: The needs of a long jumper are not those of a 110m hurdles specialist. Adapt your protocol to the muscles most exposed in your discipline.
Conclusion: muscle activation, a direct investment in your athletic longevity
In athletics, muscles are the primary target for injuries, with hamstrings leading the way. These injuries occur massively where muscles are required to be explosive, and where activation is most often rushed or forgotten.
Combine a solid activation routine with the IZOM Athlétique warming balm, and you'll arrive at your first repetition with muscles ready to work.