Did you know that your body experiences different forces depending on the type of activity you're doing — and that understanding these forces can help you train smarter and reduce injury risk?

Let’s talk about something we think everyone—from weekend warriors to seasoned athletes—should understand: relative forces in training.

As physical therapists (and physics geeks!), we’re always thinking about how much force our joints, muscles, and tissues are dealing with during movement. It’s not just what you’re doing—it’s how much your body is absorbing.

Here’s a simple example:

A 200 lb person doing a basic air squat is putting about 100 lbs of force through each leg. Not bad, right?

Now let’s talk about running…

That same person puts 3–5 times their body weight through each leg—per step! That’s 600 to 1,000 lbs per leg, multiplied by roughly 1,500 steps per mile.

So while squats feel harder, the force on your body during a run is way higher. And that’s not even with extra weight or high mileage!

At DeWitt Physical Therapy, we help patients not only recover but also train and move better by considering something called relative forces in exercise and rehabilitation.

Whether you're lifting weights, running hills, or practicing yoga, your body responds to load, speed, angle, and repetition in unique ways. These forces affect how your joints, muscles, and connective tissues adapt — or get strained.

So why does this matter?

Many people worry that lifting weights is “dangerous.” But in reality, lifting is often more controlled and predictable than running or sports. We can progress load gradually, building stronger muscles, tendons, and joints that are more resistant to injury.

Training isn’t just about movement—it’s about managing force.

As PTs, our job is to:

Assess what your body can handle
Help you build strength and capacity safely
Prevent breakdowns from overtraining or under-recovering

Whether you're just starting out, getting back into a sport, or training for your next event, understanding relative force is key to staying strong, pain-free, and moving well.

If you’re not sure what forces your body can tolerate—or if your current routine is helping or hurting—come talk to us. We’ll help you move smarter, perform better, and feel better.

Let’s make your movement work for you — not against you.

The Team at DeWitt Physical Therapy