Is there a CrossFit downside? We ask a chiropractor and a psychologist

Despite its followers’ devotion, CrossFit is not without its detractors, who say that the sport’s emphasis on heavy weightlifting can lead to injury if not done correctly and that the competitive nature of the sport can cause participants to overwork.

Robert Hayden, a Georgia-based chiropractor, says that he has seen an uptick in patients who participate in CrossFit.

“I see people who do CrossFit more for routine maintenance than the general population,” he says. “People come in with injuries from repetitive use of extremities. For example, some of the CrossFit exercises involve jumping onto boxes of increasing height, and that can be pretty tough on the low back, the thighs and the knees.”

Richard Lustberg, a New York-based sports psychologist, adds that some participants get addicted to the rush of the challenge.

“When you feel good, the brain feels good,” he says. “You have that biochemical piece, with people who tend to get intensely hooked on things, and that’s why they overdo it.”