Injury Rate and Patterns Among CrossFit Athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• CrossFit is a popular, recognized competitive exercise program.
• Previous research has not formally examined injury rates or contributing factors in CrossFit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the injury rate among CrossFit participants.
• To identify trends and associations between CrossFit injuries and participant demographics, gym characteristics, and athletic abilities.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive epidemiology study utilizing validated injury surveillance methods.
• Surveys were distributed to CrossFit gyms and online, collecting data from October 2012 to February 2013.
• Statistical analysis included Fisher exact and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• The overall injury rate was 19.4% (75/386), with males experiencing higher rates than females (P = .03).
• Shoulder, low back, and knee were the most common injury sites.
• Trainer involvement was associated with a significantly decreased injury rate (P = .028).

Conclusions:

• CrossFit participation has an approximate 20% injury rate, with males at higher risk.
• Shoulder and low back injuries are prevalent in gymnastic and power lifting movements, respectively.
• Supervised training and proper form guidance correlate with reduced injury incidence.