REVIEW  SPORT INJURIES AND REHABILITATION 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2020 July;60(7):1005-13

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.20.10615-7

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Injury risk and injury incidence rates in CrossFit

Bradley GARDINER, Gavin DEVEREUX, Marco BEATO ✉

School of Health and Sports Sciences, University of Suffolk, Ipswich, UK

INTRODUCTION: Despite completing complex movements under cardiovascular and muscular fatigued conditions, CrossFit suggested safety of participants is one of the most important factors to consider. Therefore, the aim of this brief review was to provide an overview of the injury incidence and incidence rates reported in the current literature as well as to assess the injury risks associated with CrossFit.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Research papers were searched using the following databases: Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, PubMed, and MEDLINE. The search identified 718 potential articles across all databases. After the application of inclusion criteria, a total of 14 articles were included in this review.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: The shoulder, spine, and knee are the most commonly injured areas in CrossFit. Injury incidence of each study ranges from 12.8-73.5% and reported injury rates ranging from 0.27-3.3/1000 training hours.
CONCLUSIONS: Reported findings in the current literature would suggest CrossFit has a relatively low injury risk. The current review highlights three important factors associated with injury incidence and incidence rates in CrossFit: 1) training frequency; 2) duration of CrossFit experience; 3) individuals that compete in CrossFit competitions. Due to recall bias and selection bias further research is warranted over a longitudinal prospective study. Additionally, further research is needed to investigate mechanisms of injury and the relationship between training load and injury risk in CrossFit.

KEY WORDS: Exercise; Muscle strength; Wounds and injuries