It is estimated that there are 3 injuries for every 1,000 hours of Crossfit training in the United States. It is estimated that one in five Crossfit participants will suffer an injury over the course of one year of training. Overall, one in seven women “Crossfitters,” and one in five men are expected to incur at least one injury during their training.
This makes the injury rate for the activity among the highest in the athletic world. With over 9,000 CrossFit gyms located around the world, the risks to the general public are considerable as the sport has earned a reputation for causing serious, potentially life-threatening overexertion injuries.
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Three Injuries Lead the (Ice) Pack
Injuries to the shoulders, knees, and lower back account for more than 50% of CrossFit injuries. Powerlifting is responsible for most of the injuries to the lower back, while gymnastic motions are responsible for causing the majority of shoulder injuries.
The repetitive motions of many CrossFit activities such as lifting dead weights and kettle bells can lead to Tennis Elbow and De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis. Other common injuries include Tendonitis of the Achilles tendon, and Rotator Cuff Tendonitis of the shoulder. The longer a CrossFit participant continues to do their exercises, the more pronounced and serious these injuries will become.
Exercising Their Way Into an Early Grave
One of the potential side-effects of CrossFit is the development of rhabdomyolysis. This condition occurs when muscle tissue breaks down and enters the bloodstream. As the kidneys become clogged with these tissues, they can no longer effectively filter blood which then leads to kidney failure.
Up to 26,000 people each year are treated for the condition, and many of them can trace CrossFit as being the cause of their injury. Other potentially fatal conditions caused by CrossFit include heat stroke and heart attack brought on by overexertion.
Less lethal, but no less serious are the potential long-term consequences of CrossFit training. These include destroyed joints and torn ligaments that can require surgical repair. Even after these are repaired, these injuries can permanently limit an individual’s range of motion and ability to perform their jobs.
A personal injury attorney can help injured CrossFitters trace the cause of the injury and the impact it has on their lives. When an exercise regimen is responsible for causing an injury, the health club and/or trainer can be held liable for failing to adequately monitor and protect participants from harm.