COMMON CROSSFIT INJURIES AND HOW TO TREAT THEM

Common CrossFit Injuries: Causes, Symptoms and Recovery

CrossFit is demanding, fast-paced, and highly effective. It is also physically intense, which means injuries can develop when load, fatigue, or technique are not managed properly. Many people in Goole come to see me because a CrossFit injury has stopped them training consistently, affected their performance, or kept flaring up despite rest.

The good news is that most CrossFit injuries respond extremely well to the right assessment, hands-on treatment, and structured rehabilitation. Understanding why they happen is the first step to preventing them.

Why CrossFit Injuries Happen

CrossFit injuries are rarely caused by a single movement. They usually develop due to a combination of factors including fatigue, repeated high-volume loading, restricted mobility, poor recovery, or compensations from old injuries.

As intensity increases, small weaknesses or movement restrictions are exposed. Without addressing these early, pain builds gradually until training becomes uncomfortable or impossible.

Effective treatment focuses on restoring movement quality, strength, and load tolerance rather than simply resting and hoping the pain settles.

Most Common CrossFit Injuries We See

Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder pain is one of the most common issues in CrossFit, often linked to overhead lifting, kipping movements, and gymnastic skills.

Typical causes include rotator cuff irritation, shoulder impingement, reduced thoracic mobility, or poor overhead control. Symptoms often include pain when pressing, discomfort during pull-ups, or aching after training.

With proper assessment and targeted rehab, most shoulder injuries recover fully and safely.

Lower Back Injuries

Lower back pain often develops during deadlifts, squats, Olympic lifts, or high-rep workouts under fatigue.

Common contributors include poor bracing, reduced hip mobility, weak glutes, or compensations from previous injuries. Back pain may present as stiffness, sharp pain, or discomfort during lifting or sitting.

Back pain in CrossFit rarely requires stopping training completely, but it does require a structured plan.

Knee Injuries

Knee pain is common in CrossFit athletes performing squats, lunges, box jumps, and running.

Issues often stem from poor hip control, limited ankle mobility, quad or patellar tendon overload, or rapid increases in training volume. Symptoms include pain during squats, stairs, or jumping movements.

Targeted strengthening and movement retraining usually resolve knee pain effectively.

Elbow and Forearm Injuries

High-volume gripping from pull-ups, toes-to-bar, barbell cycling, and kettlebells often leads to elbow or forearm pain.

Conditions such as golfer’s elbow or tennis elbow are common, especially when recovery and load management are inadequate.

Early treatment prevents these issues becoming long-term training limitations.

Hip Injuries

Hip pain may develop during squats, Olympic lifts, running, or gymnastic movements.

This is often linked to restricted hip mobility, poor pelvic control, or overloading under fatigue. Hip pain may refer into the groin, glute, or lower back.

Improving hip mechanics often has a positive knock-on effect for the knee and back.

Should You Train Through a CrossFit Injury?

In many cases, yes, but not blindly.

Complete rest often delays recovery. Instead, modifying training, reducing load, and addressing the underlying issue allows continued progress without aggravating the injury.

A proper assessment determines what should be trained, what should be temporarily avoided, and how to rebuild safely.

How CrossFit Injury Treatment Works

Treatment begins with identifying exactly why the injury developed, not just where it hurts. Hands-on therapy helps reduce pain and restore movement, while rehabilitation focuses on strength, control, and tolerance to load.

The aim is always to return you to CrossFit stronger, more confident, and less likely to re-injure yourself.

When to Get a CrossFit Injury Checked

You should seek assessment if pain is affecting performance, lingering longer than a week, returning every time you train, or causing you to change how you move.

Ignoring early symptoms often leads to longer recovery times later.

Book a Sports Injury Assessment in Goole

If a CrossFit injury is holding you back, a clear diagnosis and personalised treatment plan can get you back to training safely.

Book your Sports Injury Assessment today or request a free consultation call if you’d like to talk things through first.