Chiropractic x CrossFit

Written by Dr. Benjamin Bluestein

CrossFit is sweeping the globe, one box at a time. For some, CrossFit is a source of motivation and health. For others, it's a source of fear, and injury. Luckily, there's help on the way! Dr. Bluestein's first post featured on this blog talks about all the major ways Chiropractic care can help with a CrossFit athlete's goals, and how it can work as a safety net to alleviate current injuries, or prevent future injuries. Been giving CrossFit a good, hard look as a fitness option? Definitely read on.

- Dr. P

Crossfit & Chiropractic

I have patients who participate in the sport of Crossfit. Crossfit is “the SPORT of fitness”. Crossfit participants and athletes are incredibly committed, driven and hardworking individuals. Their goals are to improve time, weight and volume lifted. Crossfit athletes push themselves physically everytime. People must realize that Crossfit is a sport, just like basketball or football.

Is Crossfit Safe?

There is risk involved in any activity or SPORT. Crossfit is not exempt from this rule.Crossfit takes safety seriously and many gyms/boxes have mandatory “on-ramp” classes before participating in full workouts. Crossfit participants should be supervised by certified/qualified coaches. Anyone considering participating in Crossfit or any athletic sports should understand that there are prerequisites and risks with all movements.

What are the typical Crossfit injuries seen in a Chiropractic office?

Crossfit athletes can push themselves so much that it can lead to overuse muscle and tendon injuries, as well as spinal and extremity joint dyfunctions. Dysfunctions may or may not cause pain but over time may result in a pain and or more serious problems. I always tell and teach patients to listen to their body and not to push too hard if they are experiencing any discomfort.

In my experience, Crossfit participants typically have restricted range of motion and recurrent stiffness in the shoulders and hips. However the most serious complaints I have received in my Chiropractic office is lower back pain.

What about Crossfit makes lower back injuries so common?

Lifting exercises such as the squat and deadlift are done with high volume and weight. If these exercises are done with proper posture and technique they are great for functional core and leg strength. A proper moving spine and hips are required to perform these exercises. If an individual does not have the proper range of motion or ability prior to attempting the squat and deadlift they can become injured. For those with the ability, as athlete becomes tired, their form can be affected and eventually these exercises can cause injury.

Overhead exercises (snatch, thrusters, presses etc. ) are also performed. If a participant doesn’t have the prerequisite movement at the shoulders and mid back, compensations problems in the lower back will result. Take a look at the video below:

Do you look like this when you perform overhead activities? Time to see a Chiropractor that can determine why and how to fix it. Manual therapy and functional movement correction that Chiropractors provide are very effective at not only prevention but recovery as well.

How can Crossfit gyms/boxes and Chiropractors work together?

A Crossfit athlete’s goal is to maximize their body’s full athletic potential. Crossfit athletes are required to maintain their bodies by participating in proper training, nutrition and sleep. A Chiropractor’s goal is to optimize the patients’ body through manual treatment and advice on training, diet and treatment. Crossfit gyms can also help general chiropractic patients become more physically active in their own lives.

Our philosophies and goals go hand-in-hand. Regular treatment from a Chiropractor will allow for the maintenance and overall performance of the body. Regular Crossfit and physical activity can help people become healthier.

Chiropractors can also assess those thinking about joining Crossfit to determine if they have the prerequisite abilities.

What do the Crossfit athletes have to say?

If you don’t believe me, listen to Rich Froning Jr. Rich is the 4 x reigning and defending “Fittest Man on Earth”. He has won the Reebok Crossfit Games continuously since 2011 to 2014. He is an advocate for Chiropractic care and believes Crossfitters can benefit from seeing a Chiropractor. 

Is Your Workout Causing Low Back Pain?

Finally back on top of things, here's a functional lesson on working out effectively, myth busting fat loss remedies, and healthy advice for back pain sufferers. Statistics show that 4 out of 5 of you reading this will benefit from this information! Enjoy!

- Dr. P

Written by Dr. Joe Mondoux (visit his Facebook Page frequently for updates)


Do you ever see people in the gym holding a dumbbell by their side and bending to either side? (Like the picture below)

Maybe that person is you? 

Have you been told that this is a good way to work your obliques or “love handles” and help manage low back pain?

Unfortunately this is not the case and this may even be causing your low back pain. Don’t have any? Well, keep doing these and more than likely you will!

The myth of “spot reduction” has long been busted, which is the idea that you can work out a certain part of your body, such as your “love handles” and you will decrease fat around the area. This right here should be a hint that doing this exercise will not make your “love handles” any more lovable.
What you are actually doing in this exercise is working a very large and deep muscle that runs along either side of your spine called the quadratus lumborum (depicted here). 

These muscles are the primary lateral flexor of the lower spine and has a propensity to become short and tight in most individuals. When this muscle becomes short and tight it compresses the lumbar spine which can then lead to low back pain. What is happening when we target this muscle with those dumbbell lateral bends? We are making this muscle even shorter and tighter - which does what? You guessed it, compresses the lumbar spine further and leads to low back pain.

Now I don’t want you to think that you should not train this muscle and that if you have been doing these lateral bends that you are a fool – far from it. This is a very important muscle when it comes to core strength and stabilization and when you only have so many tools in your toolbox there is only so much you can do. Therefore, I want to give you some more tools so you can work this muscle more effectively, target those oblique muscles properly, decrease your chance of developing/worsening low back pain, and build your exercise repertoire.

A great exercise to target those “love handles” is the kneeling cross-body chop (below). This exercise targets the oblique muscles as their main motion is rotation NOT lateral flexion. Exercises such as this will also work the quadratus lumborum, however they will train them in a way that will not overly shorten or tighten them.

Furthermore, this action mimics more common and realistic movements as opposed to bending to your side with a load. This is called functional training, which means we train the muscles in ways they are meant to move and move our bodies in ways that we were designed to move.

This will strengthen those muscles targeted but still will not decrease the fat deposition in the area. The only true way to decrease this and eliminate those love handles once and for all is to include more cardio into your workout and alter your diet (another topic of conversation).

There is nothing wrong with training to build size and look bigger, there is however something wrong with training muscles for size that don’t need it, which can actually have negative outcomes. Try switching out the dumbbell lateral bend for a more functional movement such as the kneeling cross-body chop. Your body will thank you, and you will be better off for it!