CrossFit danger

[toysoldier]

We did another knee arthroscopy on a gal who does CrossFit. This isn't the first knee injury I've seen from CrossFit, but this young gal (36) has destroyed the cartilage in her knee, and will require total joint replacement surgery. The ortho surgeon I was working with said he has seen a lot of injuries, especially in women, from CrossFit training. You probably won't be able to convince someone to stop, as it seems to be addictive. You might be able to stop someone from starting.

 

[akbluz]

So what is CrossFit? Is it a machine that folks use for workouts? Just curious.... worn-out knees at 36 y/o is bad.

 

[Poco Oso]

It's an exercise regimen, supposedly designed to be an all-around exercise program vs. weight training or aerobic-specific programs. Done right, it works. You're better off to find a decent Martial arts Or Tia-Chi class for full body training.

 

[pisgah]

Hmmm... I have a friend who was in the habit of taking an early-morning 3-mile brisk walk around his neighborhood, and did it every day for 5 years. Recently he stumbled crossing a street on his walk and destroyed the cartilage in one knee, making surgery necessary. Should I publish a warning to caution anyone thinking about starting a similar program?

 

[BlkHawk73]

Have somewhat abused my body (knees and back) for years now and only recently has it reared it's head reminding me of it. Hiking this summer... Going up a few miles was fine. Coming down must've been a bit harsher on the knee and soon it started to hurt. By mid-way down, each step was a reminder that pain is real. can't sit idle and wonder "what if" though.

 

[ChiefMuzz]

Hmmm... I have a friend who was in the habit of taking an early-morning 3-mile brisk walk around his neighborhood, and did it every day for 5 years. Recently he stumbled crossing a street on his walk and destroyed the cartilage in one knee, making surgery necessary. Should I publish a warning to caution anyone thinking about starting a similar program?

No, as in the course of life injuries happen. CrossFit however promotes completion of reps over proper form, is not supervised by anyone with any level of knowledge and is a program where rest/recovery are really four letter words. It's well known that Crossfit has led to an increasing number of fatigue and overuse joint injuries in the younger population where they are not commonly seen.
When people bring it up I simply tell them the premise is well intended but it's a high risk activity and they are likely to end up regretting it.

 

[Pyromike]

Exercise is bad for you all around. I tried it once. Shortness of breath, sweating profusely, irregular heartbeat; worse 5 minutes of my life.

 

[5of7]

I am a 79.66 year old male who started jogging at the age of 40. I started jogging to increase my lung capacity to better practice my shooting in National Match hi-power matches.

I was amazed at the speed at which my endurance improved. The very first jog carried me 1/4 mile, but by the end of the first week, I could go 1 mile at a 9 minute pace. within 6 months, I was jogging 20 mi. pr week and within 2 years, I was jogging 52 mi. pr. week at a 7:15 pace on a 7 day schedule.

Along the line, I became more interested if running than in shooting competitively, so I dropped out of the game, although I still shot recreationally.

After about 15 years, I started bicycle riding and reduced my running to about 20 miles weekly and riding about 100 miles weekly. As the years passed and I got older, the jogging got to be a little more stressful than I wanted to endure, so I gave that up and settled on the bicycle, both indoors in the winter and outside in the summer.

At about 75, I decided that walking was better than bicycling because of the invention of the smart phone. Riding with traffic is not that safe when so many drivers are driving and texting at the same time. So that is where I am today at 79.66.

The point is that I never had a problem with injuries of any kind other that a dislocated thumb due to a biking accident. The reason, I think, is because my weight has never been enough to stress my joints that much, and perhaps I am fortunate to be blessed with a solid bone structure.

I consider me decision to engage in these activities as one of the best decisions of my life. That said, I would counsel a newby to go easy and listen to your body, when you feel tired, that is your body telling you to back off a little bit.8)

 

[WAYNO]

This exercise thing could be argued indefinitely, and I think we'll never be closer to a consensus. I have my own ideas, based on some life experiences.

I think from the day you are born, you have X-amount of cycles issued to you, for any given body part or joint. I think the more you run, the faster you use up your allotted knee cycles. I think if you run too hard, your total number of cycles are reduced. Likewise, if you don't use your allotted cycles regularly, your number is also reduced.

As a younger person, I was a running fool. I ran everywhere. I could run indefinitely, and I did. I also have been involved in competitive marching in my younger years, as well as adult marching band til very recently. I spent 3-years in the Army, where I did a ridiculous amount of running. Guess what? As strong as I always thought my legs were, I've had 8 knee surgeries, including a replacement. I should now be walking with a cane. Folks that I know that were never as fit or strong as I was, now scurry around with legs and knees that seem to be far healthier than mine are.

I've been a pipefitter for nearly 40 years. Extremely physically taxing, and I've always been strong as a bull. Add to that, I used to spend quite a bit of time at the gym. My employer always gave us time to employ a very sensible stretching program before we started work each day, and I took it seriously.

So now, at retirement age, I just had my rotator cuff and biceps re-attached. I've had two carpal tunnel surgeries. The thumb joint on my left hand is non-existant.

Guess where I'm going is, there is not a defined line between exercise and abuse.
WAYNO.

 

[ChiefMuzz]

This exercise thing could be argued indefinitely, and I think we'll never be closer to a consensus. I have my own ideas, based on some life experiences.

I think from the day you are born, you have X-amount of cycles issued to you, for any given body part or joint. I think the more you run, the faster you use up your allotted knee cycles. I think if you run too hard, your total number of cycles are reduced. Likewise, if you don't use your allotted cycles regularly, your number is also reduced.

As a younger person, I was a running fool. I ran everywhere. I could run indefinitely, and I did. I also have been involved in competitive marching in my younger years, as well as adult marching band til very recently. I spent 3-years in the Army, where I did a ridiculous amount of running. Guess what? As strong as I always thought my legs were, I've had 8 knee surgeries, including a replacement. I should now be walking with a cane. Folks that I know that were never as fit or strong as I was, now scurry around with legs and knees that seem to be far healthier than mine are.

I've been a pipefitter for nearly 40 years. Extremely physically taxing, and I've always been strong as a bull. Add to that, I used to spend quite a bit of time at the gym. My employer always gave us time to employ a very sensible stretching program before we started work each day, and I took it seriously.

So now, at retirement age, I just had my rotator cuff and biceps re-attached. I've had two carpal tunnel surgeries. The thumb joint on my left hand is non-existant.

Guess where I'm going is, there is not a defined line between exercise and abuse.
WAYNO.

I understand what your saying but please also understand I am an Exercise Physiologist, not someone speaking anecdotally. This was a discussion on the dangers of crossfit, not exercise. Your body like all mechanical units will wear out. It's not about the "number of cycles" as much as the undo wear. If you repeatedly do an activity with parts "out of spec" you are going to increase wear. If you keep it "well oiled", "in spec" and proper fitting you can expect a longer life out of the parts
Crossfit is the equivalent of fanning a sixgun. You can do it, but the likelihood of wear is much, much greater. Hence a 36 year old needing a total knee replacement.
Just being active does not mean you are maintaining your body well. Doing those activities properly, keeping good form, maintaining normal range of motion and flexibility as well as making sure you're not producing muscle imbalance and other issues is the real key.

 

[427mach1]

I did CrossFit for about 7 months, was kicking butt and enjoying it a lot. Then I blew out my L4-5 disc, endured the worst 4 months of my life, and had to have back surgery. The problem I see with CrossFit is that they push speed and repetition over form. It is back to long daily walks with a little jogging for me.

 

[Robes]

and here I thought the "Bowflex" was the only dangerous work out equipment....

 

[ChiefMuzz]

and here I thought the "Bowflex" was the only dangerous work out equipment....

Don't say that to Chuck Norris :lol:

 

[Dave P.]

Two of the people I run with sometimes, tried the Crossfit games a bit, both gave
it up after about a year. They decided it was just real hard on the body.
They were both too small to ever be real good at it anyway.
Dave

 

[m657]

re: "I think from the day you are born, you have X-amount of cycles issued to you, for any given body part or joint. "

I agree more with ChiefMuzz here on this kind of conclusion.

Think of the cycles of 1911 slide, both with and without proper lubrication. Considerable difference in # of cycles as well as 'performance satisfaction'.

re: " I think the more you run, the faster you use up your allotted knee cycles. I think if you run too hard, your total number of cycles are reduced."

In a sense this is 'moderately correct' but doesn't account for a lot of other body functional improvements, such as cardiac and skeletal muscle as well as lung capacity, brain oxygenation, etc.

This 'wear-and-tear' model leaves out the adaptation and upgrading effects as cellular performance increases through 'proper' conditioning. Absent the frank overload of non-functional biomechanical stress cycles, within physiological recognized norms, a certain amount of exercise is generally advantageous in the longer time frame.

Beat up your Jeep too much off road without proper maintenance, and you are left dealing with a worn out Jeep. Use it conservatively while cleaning & oiling your six gun and they will last as long as your knees do.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I think 'CrossFit' is more of a sport than a fitness program.

Soccer for girls is also dangerous for their knees.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/11/13/acl-injuries-most-common-in-football-girls-soccer.html

http://healthland.time.com/2010/01/11/preventing-girls-knee-injuries-on-the-soccer-field/