Effects of Exercise Intensity on Musculoskeletal Injury Healing and Functional Recovery in College Students

This randomized controlled trial examines how exercise intensity affects musculoskeletal injury healing and functional recovery in college students. A total of 140 undergraduates with confirmed Grade I or II musculoskeletal injuries were randomly assigned to low-intensity exercise, moderate-intensity exercise, high-intensity exercise, or conventional physical therapy. All participants completed a 12-week intervention, with outcomes assessed through biological markers of healing, objective functional performance, pain perception, and health-related quality of life. The results show that moderate-intensity exercise at 55%–70% HRmax produced the most favorable outcomes across inflammatory markers, isokinetic peak torque, joint range of motion, dynamic balance, VAS pain ratings, and SF-36 subscales. Highintensity loading was associated with inflammatory rebound and higher re-injury risk during early recovery, while conventional therapy produced the weakest overall improvement. The findings provide evidence-based guidance for campus rehabilitation programs and support future integration of biomedical sensing and signal analysis into individualized exercise monitoring.