USA Today Emphasizes Safe Weightlifting Form

Weightlifting-related head and facial injuries have seen a sharp rise, increasing by nearly 33% between 2013 and 2022. While men account for the majority of these injuries, the rate of increase was almost twice as high for women (45%) compared to men (24%). From 2014 to 2023, an estimated 767,174 weightlifting-related injuries were treated in U.S. emergency departments. The most frequently injured areas of the body were the upper trunk (35% of cases), followed by the lower trunk (25%). Strains and sprains were the most common types of injuries reported. Injury rates can vary depending on the specific discipline. Olympic weightlifting sees an incidence of 2.4–3.3 injuries per 1000 hours of training, while powerlifting experiences between 1.0–4.4 injuries per 1000 hours. For CrossFit practitioners, the shoulder is the most common injury site (15.6%), followed by the lower back (10.1%). A December 2024 systematic review identified the most common injury sites for weightlifters as the knee, lower back, and shoulder. For powerlifters, the most frequent points of injury are the lower back/pelvis, shoulder, and elbow/upper arm. The concept of "ego lifting," or attempting to lift weights beyond one's capacity, is considered a likely contributor to the increase in injuries, especially among younger demographics. Adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 had the highest rate of head and face injuries, accounting for 10% of the total. Interestingly, a 2025 analysis of lower extremity injuries found that pediatric patients were most likely to be injured by dropped weights, leading to foot and toe trauma. In contrast, adult lifters were more frequently injured while performing the lifting movements themselves, resulting in a higher rate of lower trunk injuries.