CrossFit is one of the fitness trends sweeping the nation as the unique exercise philosophy presents an opportunity for both newcomers and experienced athletes to get into shape and build a healthy lifestyle with varying challenges each day. CrossFit can be best explained as a comprehensive workout program that can help individuals accomplish a variety of goals including losing weight, increasing their strength, getting back into shape, or improving their performance.
One of the unique things about CrossFit workouts is that they focus on varying the exercises each day so that no two workouts feel the same. Each one of the exercises tries to incorporate functional exercises and movements that are designed to help individuals build strength and endurance to accomplish every day tasks.
As popular as CrossFit has become, these intense workouts can cause injuries to new and experienced athletes across all ages. Research has shown that between 19% and 34% of athletes who participate in crossfit have reported sustaining an injury in the past.
We’ve highlighted some of the most common CrossFit injuries and highlighted ways in which you can reduce your injury risk and recover properly.
Lower back pain is one of the leading injuries and painful sensations that athletes reported. Of the athletes who sustained an injury, 32% reported feeling pain in their back. Back injuries are one of the most common workout injuries due to the fact that we use our back for nearly every compound movement.
Lower back pain from exercise can be caused by a variety of reasons including underdeveloped muscles, poor technique, overuse, and overloading. Some of the activities that can cause lower back pain include running, quick or twisting movements, heavy lifting, excessive bending, and strained posture for extended periods of time.
Some of the leading exercises or activities that could target your lower back and cause pain include squats, deadlifts, abdominal crunches, cycling, and medicine ball throws.
Shoulder pain can seem harmless at first but can develop into a nagging injury that doesn’t go away without proper rest and recovery. Your shoulders play a key role in many compound movements, often requiring large amounts of movement with stability, which is why you may feel pain after performing compound upper body and isolated chest, shoulder, arm, and back exercises.
Even when you’re not focusing on shoulder-specific exercises, you’re still relying on them to support you during certain movements and exercises. A good example is when you’re curling weights to target those biceps. Even though you’re not focused on actively engaging your shoulders, they still provide structural support and experience tension as you perform each curl.
Some of the leading exercises that could target your shoulders and rotator cuff where you could experience pain include throwing exercises, bench press, shoulder press, pullups, shoulder fly’s, and rope slams.
Your elbows are put under varying strains during CrossFit and are commonly used to perform repetitive actions that involve bending and straightening, using them to bear weight, and serve as an attachment site for many muscles of the wrist and fingers that are involved in gripping. Depending on the location of the pain you’re experiencing, two common conditions you could experience are Tennis Elbow or Golfer’s Elbow. Elbow injuries typically occur through overuse or overloading, but can also occur with trauma and hyperextension.
Knee injuries are some of the most common injuries for all athletes as we use them in virtually every single compound movement or functional exercise. Whether you’re bending down to pick up something or jogging to and from different exercise stations, your knees can take a beating during any rigorous workout.
In one research study, knee injuries accounted for roughly 15% of all CrossFit injuries. At Results Physiotherapy, we help patients overcome a variety of knee pain conditions including running injuries, Osteoarthritis flare-ups, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Patellar Tendinopathy, and many more through comprehensive treatment programs.
Knee injuries can frequently occur when performing squats, leg extensions, step-ups, box jumps, and running.
A bad landing here or there and you could easily roll your ankle or strain it by overuse or unexpected high loads. There are dozens of exercises where you actively engage your ankles or use them as supporting structures during your workout. Plenty of exercises and activities require adequate ankle strength, stability, and mobility, especially jumping and moving quickly from side to side. Many athletes injure their ankles when they use improper technique, overload, or have inadequate muscular or structural support during their workouts.
Improper footwear could be the difference in experiencing an ankle sprain during one of your intense workouts. Some of the leading exercises that can contribute to ankle pain include running, lateral agility drills, calf raises, and box jumps.
CrossFit workouts can be a great way to get into shape for both beginners and advanced athletes, which is why it’s important to make sure that all athletes are taking steps to reduce the likelihood of future injuries and effectively recover after each workout.
Reducing the likelihood of future CrossFit injuries starts with making rest and recovery a priority during your training routine. Depending on the types of workouts you’re engaging in and the experience level you possess, you need to be mindful every step along the way.
Pushing too far too fast can set you up for a future injury. You can avoid becoming another CrossFit injury statistic by listening to your body and taking preventive steps before and after your CrossFit workouts. Before beginning any exercise program, you should make sure that you’re doing a light warmup and some pre-workout stretches.
During the course of your CrossFit workout, make sure that you’re taking everything in stride and training at appropriate skill levels and intensity. Often times you’ll be training with others in a CrossFit gym or group session, but that doesn’t mean you need to keep up with everyone else or push the intensity as much as they do. It’s important to remember that you should always be mindful of working out at a safe and reasonable pace. Make sure that you’re following appropriate exercise and workout progressions and you’re building new skills, strength, and endurance each time you workout.
If you experience a painful sensation or feel like you can’t handle certain exercises, listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Sometimes all it takes is a brief moment to take a step back to evaluate whether or not you need to reduce the intensity or if you need to stop.
Whether you’re a beginner or experienced athlete, the intensity of CrossFit workouts can be challenging for everybody. Focus on building your strength and endurance over time with each workout and without trying to do it all at once. Listening to your body will help you ensure that you’re giving it ample time to recover and prepare for upcoming workouts.
After your CrossFit workout, make sure you implement a cool-down session and a post-workout stretch. Cool-down sessions and stretching periods are a great way to help your body adjust from the peak intensity levels.
If you do experience an injury or feel pain when working out, you should stop and seek out a healthcare professional. At Results Physiotherapy, we help patients and clients alleviate the pain they’re experiencing and rehabilitate properly from previous injuries. Even small injuries can turn into chronic pain if not properly tended to. Physical Therapy is a great way for CrossFit athletes to focus on recovering effectively and get back to doing what they love by reducing pain, restoring mobility, and building strength over time.
Our licensed Physical Therapists can help you treat and overcome CrossFit injuries and 100+ other conditions. Find a Physical Therapy clinic near you and schedule an appointment to connect with a Physical Therapist who can help you recover from your CrossFit injury.
