Risks of Spine & Shoulder Injuries When Using Workout Machines

Posted By Nadine Diaz

Do you or one of your love ones exercise using workout machines? If so, you should be aware of the risks of shoulder and spine injuries you might be exposed to. Recent studies of fitness experts revealed the improper use or lack of maintenance and supervision of some exercise equipment can lead to injuries that in many cases can be permanent.

Smith Machine

Athlete and fitness expert Dr. Laura Miele-Pascoe explains the risks of using the Smith machine, a popular equipment at gymnasiums mostly used to do squats. A smith machine is simply a bar built into an apparatus that guides the bar into a vertical movement; it also prevents it from tipping to the sides.

Smith machines are dangerous because they limit the lifter movement into a vertical straight line. The smith machine can be safely used for short range-of-motion exercises such as shrugs and calf raises. However, when the natural bar path is not a straight line (bench press, overhead press, squat or deadlift), it interferes with your natural movement, increasing the stress on your joints and stabilizer muscles.

Cable Row

Cable rows are an excellent exercise, but people who use these machines usually come across a common issue. In order to start the exercise, you have to reach so far forward to grasp the handles that you inevitably overextend your lower back. This overstretching movement can damage your spine, the nerve cluster in your lower back, and the small muscles that hold your lower back straight (spinal erectors). Injuries like that will most likely be permanent.

Abs Twister

The structure of our spine is not meant for this repetitive twisting movement. By twisting the spine in such motion, you can damage the disks between your vertebrae. Other exercise styles such as Yoga, requires a lot of twisting, but the movements are slow and controlled, which makes them fine for your spine. However, twisting against resistance provokes a quick and more violent movement that is significantly more prone to injury.

Abs Crunch Machines

When you go for a full crunching of your abs, you are also overstretching your spinal erectors, which puts extreme pressure on your lower back. The repetitive use of this machine can damage the disks in your back.

The Decline Bench

Pressing on a decline bench puts significant pressure on the shoulder joints and the muscles around it. The angle prevents a natural movement of your head when pressing the weights, making this machines a recipe for disaster.

Basic Tips for Preventing Injuries Associated with These Machines

If you are not familiar with an exercise machine ask for assistance; do no attempt by yourself. You should warm-up before lifting weights and use proper form. Facility operators should also be aware of these risky equipment as potential liability. They must ensure that clients are properly trained to use these machines as intended. They must maintain the machines according to manufacturer and inspect it regularly.

Ensure that warning instructional stickers are in place and clear to understand by the users. Reinforcing the supervision around these machines is another way to minimize the risks. Next time you go for a workout at a fitness center keep in mind these safety tips and make sure you stay healthy and informed about everyday hazards that most people overlook. You don’t need to be scared; you just need to be aware.