Over the years as Physical Therapists, patients will frequently ask this question seeking a black and white answer.
The truth is the answer is complex and multifaceted. Here are a few factors that affect the answer.
Pros:
- A body in motion stays in motion. If CrossFit is what gets you off the couch and exercising the benefits FAR outweigh the risks. Obesity, cardiovascular disease, and mental health will ALWAYS take precedence over aches and soreness.
- Research on prevalence of injuries compared to other Sports and modes of exercise consistently show no statistically significant injury risk difference and that risk is very low.
- Accountability and culture. CrossFit has completely embodied the true meaning of taking care of each other. The moment you step foot in a gym you feel the intoxicating environment and atmosphere. Partner WODs and group competitions deliver camaraderie where many other gyms struggle to offer.
Cons:
- While the overwhelming majority of times CrossFit is completely safe and wrongly accused, there are a couple of instances where it is “unsafe”.
- Coaching: There is high variability in coaching experience. Diversity is great but consistency is key. The CrossFit Level 1 coaching certification is a weekend intensive course where someone without an exercise science or strength and conditioning background can take to start coaching classes. This can occasionally lead to unsafe programming and unrealistic loading cycles.
- Culture: This can be both a pro and a con, when moving big weight is prioritized over technique and personal progress. The most dangerous part to CrossFit is having a novice lifter try and PR advanced movements with minimal respect to the mechanics and process to achieve them.
CrossFit is a great way for people to exercise, continue to keep their competitive edge, and achieve personal lifestyle goals.
As with all extreme sports, overuse injuries do occur but can typically be prevented by healthy programming and load management. The majority of the time the sport is criticized or called dangerous is because of a bad personal coaching experience or fear of the unknown.
