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How risky is lifting weights?

The majority of client consults go like this: after going through health history and a movement assessment, we begin speaking about rehab program design, which inevitably involves resistance training.


The client will often interject with some concerns about exercise, especially lifting weights. The big fear is that they'll do something wrong and end up hurting themselves worse.


The truth is, there is a risk to lifting weights. But just how risky is it?


If you look at actual injury rates for lifting in a gym or at home, a systematic review found that 1-4 injuries occur per 1,000 hours of training. That's about as risky as recreational walking or cycling.


For comparison's sake, the injury rates for a recreational sport like soccer are at 7.21 per 1,000 hours, and running is at 7.7.


So the "don't lift heavy, you'll get hurt" crowd should also be telling you not to walk recreationally, because that's just as risky.


And that's not to say you shouldn't play sports or run, because there's risk to everything. Rolling out of bed every morning comes with risk.


But what nobody talks about is the risk of NOT lifting weights.


80% of adults in Canada don't meet physical activity guidelines.


Over 80% of fractures in people 50+ are caused by osteoporosis, a condition that is managed strongly by weight-bearing activity.


4 million Canadians live with diabetes, and while it's a complex condition, strength training and exercise are key ways to manage blood sugar.


1 in 4 adults live with hypertension, leading to cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, spiking your heart rate and blood pressure with some heavy weights works wonders to manage it.


You see where I'm going with this. The way I see it, the risks of not lifting weights far exceed the risks of lifting. I'll take the odds of 1-4 injuries per 1,000 hours to help prevent osteoporosis, diabetes and heart disease.


And while general exercise helps with all of these, lifting weights specifically helps with osteoporosis and the general health of your muscles and joints.


The functional decline of older adults comes from a decrease in muscle mass (which happens steadily after age 30 if we don't train), along with the accompanying strength and power.


The bottom line is that more people will likely hurt themselves trying to tie their own shoes because their spine is weak than those who will injure themselves deadlifting and trying to make their spine stronger.


Share this with someone who needs to see it.


To your good health,

Coach Stephen

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P.S.

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