Hike in gym injuries, as membership grows

Claims for gym injuries have tripled in the past six years according to ACC data.

On the North Shore, there were 2431 gym-related injuries lodged with ACC in 2017. The majority of these claims, 403, were made by people aged 25 to 29.

Soft tissue injuries including strains, bruises, and damage to internal organs accounted for 2397 claims.

Six years prior, in 2011, a total of 695 claims were made.

‘‘It is no surprise that we see more injuries from gyms, as there is significant growth in this area,’’ physiotherapist Ashley Lake said.

With gym-based exercise, such as strength training and functional training, among the top five fitness trends internationally, and the number of gyms in New Zealand increasing, it was a numbers game, Lake, from Active Plus Milford Physiotherapy, said.

Unsupervised 24-hour gyms meant clients were exercising with no supervision and poor technique, which might also be a contributory factor.

‘‘Another factor is possibly the peer pressure in group training scenarios, where people may push themselves too far, because their mates are doing an extra set, or the trainer is encouraging them to go for it.’’

Lake said it was important to manage the risk of injuries by managing intensity, and ensuring good technique, particularly in novices.

‘‘If a gym-goer increases too rapidly the volume or intensity of their workouts then they increase injury risk,’’ Lake said.

Even if a workout was supervised, not all personal trainers had the same level of qualification, and gyms were not a regulated industry.

In New Zealand, there were more than 27 different fitness certificates, Justine Bishop from New Zealand Institute of Health and Fitness Albany campus said.

‘‘The issue we run into, is that not all courses are NZQA recognised and many have little to no external auditing to ensure a minimum standard is being adhered to,’’ Bishop said. ‘‘This is not to say that every personal trainer who hasn’t done a certain course isn’t good quality, but we definitely recommend doing your homework.’’

Most gyms would require personal trainers to have the minimum qualifications, what differed was the on-site training or induction, Bishop said.

Over the past six years the number of gymrelated injuries lodged with ACC has more than tripled.