FPF Show Episode 6: How Dangerous is CrossFit Really?

By Nichole Bonner

November 5, 2021

In the last episode we covered shoulder injuries in CrossFit (TM) with Dr. Sean Rockett.  In today's episode I go through a variety of studies to help shed a bit of light on just how dangerous CrossFit is when compared to other sports and recreational activities:  We go over:

  • How are injuries reported in research?
  • What constitutes an injury in these studies?
  • How likely am I to get injured over 1 year of CrossFit participation?
  • What are the most injured areas in CrossFit?
  • How does CrossFit stack up against other forms of recreation and sports?

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Show Notes / Relevant Articles:

  1. Can You Predict Who Will Get Hurt in CrossFit?
  2. Is CrossFit Causing Shoulder Injuries?
  3. How Common Are Injuries in Olympic Weightlifting, Strongman, CrossFit and Recreational Fitness
  4. da Costa TS, Louzada CTN, Miyashita GK, da Silva PHJ, Sungaila HYF, Lara PHS, Pochini AC, Ejnisman B, Cohen M, Arliani GG. CrossFit®: Injury prevalence and main risk factors. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2019 Nov 25;74:e1402. doi: 10.6061/clinics/2019/e1402. PMID: 31778434; PMCID: PMC6862711.
  5. Rodríguez MÁ, García-Calleja P, Terrados N, Crespo I, Del Valle M, Olmedillas H. Injury in CrossFit®: A Systematic Review of Epidemiology and Risk Factors. Phys Sportsmed. 2021 Jan 7:1-8. doi: 10.1080/00913847.2020.1864675. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33322981.
  6. Klimek C, Ashbeck C, Brook AJ, Durall C. Are Injuries More Common With CrossFit Training Than Other Forms of Exercise? J Sport Rehabil. 2018 May 1;27(3):295-299. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2016-0040. Epub 2018 May 22. PMID: 28253059.
  7. Wagener S, Hoppe MW, Hotfiel T, et al. CrossFit® – Development, Benefits and Risks [CrossFit® – Entwicklung, Nutzen und Risiken]. Sportorthopa¨die-Sporttraumatologie. 2020;36(3):241-249. doi:10.1016/j.orthtr.2020.07.001
  8. Rodríguez MÁ, García-Calleja P, Terrados N, Crespo I, Del Valle M, Olmedillas H. Injury in CrossFit®: A Systematic Review of Epidemiology and Risk Factors. Phys Sportsmed. 2021 Jan 7:1-8. doi: 10.1080/00913847.2020.1864675. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33322981.
  9. Feito Y, Burrows EK, Tabb LP. A 4-Year Analysis of the Incidence of Injuries Among CrossFit-Trained Participants. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(10):2325967118803100. Published 2018 Oct 24. doi:10.1177/2325967118803100
  10. Elkin JL, Kammerman JS, Kunselman AR, Gallo RA. Likelihood of Injury and Medical Care Between CrossFit and Traditional Weightlifting Participants [published correction appears in Orthop J Sports Med. 2020 Jan 24;8(1):2325967119895027]. Orthop J Sports Med. 2019;7(5):2325967119843348. Published 2019 May 7. doi:10.1177/2325967119843348

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Dan Pope DPT, OCS, CSCS