The frequency of injuries among CrossFit athletes: a systematic review

Abstract

Background. CrossFit, a sports branch based on complex exercises and functional movements performed at high intensity, formed the basis of our work, namely HIIT training (High-intensity interval training). Aims. The main objective of our study was to specify the musculoskeletal level of the human body most easily and frequently affected. An important aspect was to assess the incidence rate of injuries associated with CrossFit training. Methods. The present systematic review was designed between October 2021 and April 2022 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Results. The initial search identified 50 titles in the databases described above, of which seven duplicate articles were automatically removed. The remaining 43 articles were analysed by title and abstract for relevance, resulting in a further 12 studies being removed. After eliminations in the eligibility phase, a total of 12 articles were included in the study. Conclusions. Studies have shown us that the rate of shoulder injuries ranged from around 40-43% of all injuries. The lumbar spine and knees are easily affected areas, but there is a (lower) incidence in other joints of the human body.