Graduating from college and venturing out into the real world, I had a few serious concerns. On the top of that list was “How will I workout?” At that point, I’d managed to stay fit and healthy by listening to what others told me to do- my track coaches and, later, my good friend/workout buddy/personal trainer. I felt a little lost.
I went to my first crossfit class reluctantly in 2015 and it filled the void that had been left by running competitively.
The workouts were challenging and fun
My progress was measurable
The people were fun
I didn’t have to think too hard about what to do
I knew I was in the right place. But my physical therapist brain wouldn’t let me fully commit to loving it. I had my own reservations. “Is this safe?” “Is this smart?”
I took a look at the research, and here’s what I found!
Most studies have found that the incidence of injury in crossfit is pretty low, about 0.8 and 3.1 injuries per 1000 training hours. That’s not very different from other activities. Also, most of those injuries are minor!
It has not been found that participating in crossfit puts you at higher risk for injury than any other recreational activity. Research supports, and I’ve seen for myself, that the benefits far outweigh the risks.
I say to my active patients all the time that by being active in ANYTHING you are putting yourself at risk for some pain that can be fixed, but you are avoiding big metabolic problems like diabetes that can be chronic. So choose activity!
Ask me more questions about crossfit for a Physical Therapist’s perspective!
Dr. Rachel Atufunwa PT, DPT