Common Crossfit Injuries and How to Avoid Them

We can all pick the Crossfit participants from a mile away: a lean and fit group of like-minded fitness devotees who are enthusiastic and work hard. However, Crossfit injuries are considered higher than in other exercise programs. So, what are the common Crossfit injuries, and how do we prevent them?

What is Crossfit?

Crossfit is a high-intensity exercise program consisting of functional movements incorporating gymnastics, running, rowing, weight training, and jumping. It is thought to improve all the components of fitness, such as strength, endurance, aerobic capacity, flexibility, and power.

In general, no one doubts that CrossFit has its own culture. It also has its lingo. To master Crossfit, you must master functional movements such as pullups, bench presses, rowing machines, jump rope, and plyometric boxes.

Are there increased injuries from Crossfit?

Typically, Crossfit is a high-intensity exercise. Therefore, it is inappropriate for some people with chronic diseases and injuries. Generally, studies have shown that Crossfit people are more likely to get injured than in other sports. Overall, the injury rate is about 20%. In addition, injuries occur more in men and are less common when trainers are closely involved in correcting form.

However, when comparing CrossFit to other exercise programs, there seems to be no difference in injury rates.

What are the common Crossfit injuries?

Generally, Crossfit increases injury risk due to sustained high intensity of exercise. These injuries commonly occur in people in their 30s and older. In addition, injuries typically occur in both the upper and lower body parts. Below, we outline the most common injuries seen in Crossfit.

Crossfit shoulder injuries

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint that is potentially unstable. Common injuries to the Crossfit shoulder include rotator cuff tendonitis, AC joint sprain, and joint instability from a labral tear. Overall, the best way to avoid shoulder injuries is to strengthen the shoulder muscles, such as the deltoid. Also, it would help if you spaced out your higher load activities such as rings, handstands, and high repetition military press.

Crossfit wrist

In general, the wrist is a common area of injury in Crossfit. Common causes of wrist pain include wrist joint impingement, wrist arthritis, a wrist ganglion, and swelling of the lunate bone (also known as Kienbock’s disease). Early diagnosis is essential to treat your condition correctly.

Crossfit and back injuries

Crossfit involves lots of bending, lifting, flipping, and jumping. These actions can place a high load on your lower back. Low back pain can result from disc or facet joint swelling if not managed correctly. In younger people, bone stress, also known as a pars stress fracture, can occur. Importantly, you should ask a CrossFit coach to review your squat and deadlift form.

Achilles and Patellar tendonitis

Unsurprisingly, Achilles and Patellar tendonitis are common lower limb injuries in Crossfit. Jumping, running, and speed put a lot of stress on these tendons leading to overload and swelling. Essential ways to prevent tendon injuries include spacing out your jumping and reducing the rate of the exercises. Also, keeping strong in the calf and quads by doing slow resistance training will protect your tendons.

Crossfit elbow

Contrary to popular opinion, Crossfit exercises such as lifting, bending, and stretching place a high load on the elbow joint and tendons. Common injuries include tennis elbow, weightlifter’s elbow, and golfer’s elbow.

Hernia

A hernia is a hole in the abdominal wall. Sometimes, the hole gets more prominent due to excessive straining, allowing fat to poke out of the hole. This hole produces a lump and sometimes pain. In addition, Crossfit exercises such as deadlifts and squats increase the pressure in the abdomen, leading to a hernia. Preventive measures include keeping your abdominal muscles strong and wearing a squat belt while performing heavy lifting.

Tips to prevent injuries from Crossfit

Matt Curley, an expert injury rehab specialist at Amp, gives his tips to prevent CrossFit. Matt says that squatting and lunging patterns are common in CrossFit programs. Generally, excessive squats and lunges lead to an imbalance between front and back of the pelvis tilting the pelvis and overloading the spine.’ Instead, he suggests increased hip flexors stretching and targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and lower abdominals to bring back balance to the body. Examples of exercises include Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, and Nordics. In addition, performing core work specifically for the lower abdominals and oblique muscles in isolation and integrated into static holds (planks) at the start of the workout will help prevent injury.

In the upper body, stretching the upper traps and pecs and strengthening the external rotators and horizontal pulling muscles will restore balance and reduce the risk of injury to the shoulders.

Final word from Sportdoctorlondon about Crossfit injuries

CrossFit is a high-intensity exercise regime that places a high load on your body. Managing your body’s load during the week is key to preventing injuries. The biggest mistake is when people perform back-to-back sessions without a break. It is important to space your session out over the week, especially as you get older. Finally, rebalancing your muscles through stretching and focused strengthening will prevent injury.