Predict Overuse Injuries In CrossFit Athletes

crossfit kettlebell class

By Alyssa Bialowas

CrossFit has gained a lot of traction in the athletic community, especially over the past few years. CrossFit is a high intensity fitness program based on functional movements that reflect several sports and types of exercises. Overuse injuries (injury caused by repetitive trauma) are prevalent in competitive sport and are the predominant injury type in sports that have a repetitive nature and high training loads, which are both true for CrossFit.

The monitoring of heart rate variability (the variation in time between heart beats) is seen as a viable way to indicate early signs of overuse problems and substantial injury. Imbalances in the nervous system could mean the athlete is stuck in a state of ongoing repair and recovery. So can heart rate variability signify overuse problems, and can it be used to minimize overuse injury in competitive CrossFit athletes?

Looking for a heart rate and fitness tracker?Motiv Fitness Ring Check out the sleek and stylish Motiv Fitness Ring.

Related Article: Is Quality Sleep A Predictor For Sports Injury?

The Study

Heart rate variability is a moderating factor in the workload-injury relationship of competitive CrossFit athletes. A study by Williams et al. (2017) aimed to discover whether heart rate variability can determine early signs of somatic tissue overload prior to pain or injury. They looked at the relationship between heart rate variability, workloads, and risk of overuse injuries in competitive CrossFit athletes to determine if monitoring heart rate variability can minimize the occurrence of overuse injury.

Six competitive CrossFit athletes (three males and three females) took part in the study, in which daily resting heart rate variability and workloads were recorded across a 16-week period. They were each asked to take a one-minute heart rate variability measurement when they woke up, measured by photoplethysmography (blood pressure changes in the microvascular bed of tissue) via a smartphone app called “HRV4training.”

Hyperwear vestWant to enhance the intensity of your workout? Check out HyperWear Gear.

Following that, they recorded the intensity of the previous day’s training session within the same app to measure training load. To measure overuse injury, the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire was sent to each athlete weekly by email. The questionnaire asked four questions that took into consideration the athlete’s knee, wrist, elbow, lower back, and shoulders.

Related Article: Crossfit For All Ages

The Results

Four out of the six athletes reported some sort of overuse problem over the course of the study, with one athlete experiencing a significant overuse problem. In two cases the overuse problem affected the knee, in two cases it affected the wrist and in two cases it affected the lower back. In one case overuse problems affected the elbow, which was also the significant overuse problem.

Recoup Fitness RollerRecover faster from high-intensity workouts by combining cold therapy and massage with the Recoup Fitness Roller.

There was a higher risk of overuse problems when reductions in heart rate variability were in combination with workload spikes. High workloads were easily endured when heart rate variability trends were ‘normal’ or ‘high’.

Takeaway

Heart rate variability is a telling measurement for overuse injury in competitive CrossFit athletes. Therefore; Heart rate variability monitoring can be used to modify individual training load prescriptions to minimize overuse injury in these athletes. Heart rate variability can help determine an athlete’s psychological response to training load, and athletes that experience a reduced heart rate variation during high intensity training can benefit from recovery interventions. 

Further research would benefit from examining a wider population of competitive CrossFit athletes, as six participants is quite a small number of subjects to make any widespread claim.

Related Article: 4 Tips To Keep Your HIIT Frequency In Check

You Might Like:

CrossFit athlete performing pull ups

Are Shoulder Injuries Common in CrossFit?

Over the last decade, CrossFit has become one of the most popular modes of exercise on the planet. And really, given the fact that it offers a way to build strength and power, increase endurance...
crossfit kettlebell class

Predict Overuse Injuries In CrossFit Athletes

By Alyssa Bialowas CrossFit has gained a lot of traction in the athletic community, especially over the past few years. CrossFit is a high intensity fitness program based on functional movements that reflect several sports...

References

Williams, S., Booton, T., Watson, M., Rowland, D., and Altini, M. (2017). Heart Rate Variability is a Moderating Factor in the Workload-Injury Relationship of Competitive CrossFit Athletes. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 16: 443-449.

Build resiliency

How to Build Resiliency During A Pandemic

CrossFit athlete performing pull ups

Are Shoulder Injuries Common in CrossFit?

Group workout at a gym

Does CrossFit Have A High Risk Of Injury?

Two men and two women using kettlebells for a workout in a gym

The Best CrossFit Workouts For Cardio & Strength

man and woman doing a pull-up

Perfecting Your CrossFit Pull-Up

Group of people doing CrossFit

What Does CrossFit Do to Your Body?

To women jumping on boxes

The Rise of CrossFit

ab roller

How Core Strength Effects Athletic Performance

Weight Training Techniques: Benefits of Unilateral Training

Weight Training Techniques: The Benefits of Unilateral Training

Improve Aerobic Capacity: Tips and Tricks

How to Improve Your Aerobic Capacity – Tips & Tricks

Leave a Reply