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Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine

Epidemiology of Bodyweight Exercise Versus Weight Training Injuries Treated in United States Emergency Departments From 2014 to 2023: An Analysis Using the NEISS Database

Thursday, October 23, 2025
12:45 PM - 2:15 PM MT
Location: Kiosk 8

    Primary Author(s)

  • Jason Liu, Other

    Medical Student
    University of Central Florida College of Medicine
    Orlando, Florida

    • Poster Presenter(s)

  • Melissa M. Marzouk, Other

    Medical Student
    Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College Of Osteopathic Medicine
    Davie, Florida

Disclosure(s):
Jason Liu, Other: No financial relationships to disclose
Melissa M. Marzouk, Other: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives: Exercise is widely recognized for its health benefits, with weightlifting and bodyweight exercises being two prevalent training modalities. While both improve strength and endurance, they also pose unique injury risks. This study compares the epidemiology of injuries associated with weightlifting and bodyweight exercises treated in U.S. emergency departments from 2014 to 2023 using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.

Design: Descriptive epidemiology study

Setting : U.S. emergency departments from 2014 to 2023

Participants : US Adults

Interventions: N/A

Main Outcome Measures: This descriptive epidemiologic study analyzed ED visits for injuries related to weightlifting equipment (NEISS product code: 3265) and bodyweight exercises (product code: 3299). Injuries were categorized by anatomic location, diagnosis, and disposition. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, odds ratio tests were used to compare injury patterns.

Results: A total of 8,731 weightlifting-related injuries (national estimate: 362,663) and 2,353 bodyweight exercise-related injuries (national estimate: 90,423) were identified. Weightlifting injuries were more prevalent in males (79.2%) compared to bodyweight injuries (54.5%). The most common injuries were sprains/strains across both modalities. Weightlifting was associated with more trunk and phalangeal injuries, whereas bodyweight exercises resulted in more lower extremity injuries. Weightlifting injuries had significantly higher odds of requiring hospitalization (OR: 2.03). Hospitalization was more likely among individuals over 50 years old (OR: 4.07) and males (OR: 1.55).

Conclusions: Weightlifting injuries outnumbered bodyweight exercise injuries, likely due to greater participation and increased mechanical loads. The higher prevalence of trunk and phalangeal injuries in weightlifting suggests risks related to improper lifting techniques and equipment handling. Conversely, bodyweight exercises, which involve dynamic movements, were more associated with lower extremity injuries. The higher hospitalization rates for weightlifting injuries, particularly among older adults, underscore the need for injury prevention. Proper technique, gradual load progression, and supervised training may help reduce injury risk. Future research should explore biomechanical risk factors and training interventions to enhance safety across exercise modalities.