… Remember, this regimen is about pushing the limits of your physical abilities, not breaking them.
… Know the common CrossFit injuries and how to avoid them
… Ignoring the pain of overexertion is detrimental to your CrossFit goals.
… Train with a CrossFit physical therapist for awesome results.
Whether you are a weekend CrossFitter or a competitive Olympic Weightlifter, this training regimen is about pushing the limits of your physical abilities, not breaking them. While the high-intensity power exercises build muscle, increase oxygen intake and burn calories, athletes sometimes overexert themselves, causing pain and injury.
Although CrossFit is an all-around, comprehensive plan to get in shape -and stay that way- it come with its risks. Before you start CrossFit, learn the different types of injuries associated with the program and how to avoid them. The more you know about these potential ailments the better.
LOWER BACK PAIN
You will find CrossFitters experience lower back pain because they challenge the strength and mobility of their backs. CrossFit training involves bending, flipping, jumping and lifting, which can put a tremendous amount of strain on the spine and lower back muscles. If you experience pain in any part of your back while you are doing your workout, stop immediately. The last thing you want to do is to injure your back.
ANTERIOR KNEE PAIN
The knees are a particularly vulnerable area to injury. Knee pain is associated with overuse and strain, though it can also indicate a more serious injury, such as a dislocation. If you have a knee injury, you should always avoid putting pressure on this part of your body, especially if you notice swelling, difficulty bending your knee and pain. When this happens, ice your knee, stretch on a regular basis to keep the knee limber and lower the amount of physical impact during your workouts.
TENNIS ELBOW
Similar to the knees, the elbows are also at risk for injury because they are essential to this type of training. CrossFit requires frequent lifting, stretching and bending of elbows, which can lead to tennis elbow, an ailment that athletes experience throughout their training. This is a type of strain where the joint is affected due to overuse of the tendons and ligaments in the elbow. If you have tennis elbow, apply ice to your elbows as needed to reduce swelling and pain, and lower your physical impact level until the ailment has improved or subsided.
ACHILLES TENDONITIS
Overusing the tendon in the back of your heel can lead to a condition known as Achilles tendonitis. The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle in the back of the leg to the heel. When this tendon is strained and overused, you may experience pain, stiffness, swelling and difficulty bending your feet. If you this condition, you risk blowing out the tendon altogether, which will require surgery to correct. If you have Achilles tendonitis, the best treatment is rest, which allows the damage to heal. Icing also helps and after you ice the tendon, you will be able to do heel lifts to keep it limber and flexible.
ROTATOR CUFF TENDONITIS
Since a significant part of the CrossFit program requires lifting heavy weights about the head, it can cause damage to the rotator cuff over time. Rotator cuff tendonitis is similar to other forms of tendonitis in the sense that it can be very painful and usually involves a great deal of swelling as well as stiffness. The traditional treatment for healing is resting the shoulder. Avoid lifting heavy objects or putting any kind of strain on this part of the body. Ice your shoulders in between stretches until the injury has healed.
A physical therapist who is experienced with CrossFit-specific treatment will look at your favorite CrossFit exercises and the injuries you have sustained to help identify the cause of your pain. They will help you understand how muscles and joints work together during your CrossFit program and how to safely maximize the results you want. They will also help improve your technique to prevent further pain by designing daily workouts that will improve strength and endurance and get you back in shape for your CrossFit training regimen.
At True Sports, CrossFitters learn from sport-specific specialists. Many of our therapists are fellow competitive CrossFitters, Olympic weightlifters, powerlifters and Strong Man athletes. We will design a training program specifically tailored to you and your fitness goals. From movement assessment, a tune-up or post-surgical rehab, True Sports specialists are ready to train you as they have done so with multiple Regional-, National- and Game-level athletes.
At True Sports, we’re sports-focused because you’re sports-focused. The best physical therapists in Baltimore and Maryland provide the highest level of sports physical therapy and expertise you need to get back to your sport. With five convenient state-of-the-art locations to choose from, any athlete who takes their rehab seriously can get awesome care and extraordinary results. Select your location and schedule an appointment and have True Sports get you back to your team. For questions about insurance or self-pay rates, please call our office at 1-401-946-1672.
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