Trending Insights: The Spike in Club Member Accidents, Injuries and Safety Risks- Finding the Pattern

Trending Insights: The Spike in Club Member Accidents, Injuries and Safety Risks- Finding the Pattern

Congratulations! The U.S. health and fitness club industry reached new heights over the last several years.  The latest industry tracking data in 2024 reported that over 77-million members were acquired while serving over 96-million total customers. 

As club and gym participation rises to new historic levels, success can also come to your door with very costly price tags for owners and operators: gym accidents and injuries, personal safety threats and facility security breaches. 

To be prepared for the inevitable, the following is a breakdown only of gym accidents and injuries by age, gender and injury types:

Teens & Young Adults (age 15-24): This age group rates the highest total volume of Emergency Room visits for gym and fitness equipment accidents. High intensity workouts via training equipment point to a lack of experience and/or technique, trainer guidance and supervision, and ‘ego lifting’ are the primary drivers leading to acute sprains, muscle strain and dislocations. Targeted body parts include shoulders, lower back (lumbar) and knees.

Adults (age 25-45): The sheer size of their membership share alone propels this age bracket to high injury and accident rates amongst the overall gym population. Overexertion is the primary driver through a combination of intensified workout sessions and full-time work-related stress which correlates to higher physical burnout and subsequent injury. Targeted body parts affected include upper trunk and lower back.

Middle-Aged (age 46-64): High injury rates due to pre-existing bodily wear, poor warmups and heavy load/overexertion workouts. Targeted at-risk areas include joints, lower body lumbar and spine leading to tendinopathy and chronic overuse injury.

Older Adults/Seniors (age 65+): This senior age group accounts for fewer serious injuries due to use of lighter weights with equipment, yet their injuries are more severe. These accidents are usually due to slip and fall on and/or around the proximity of motorized equipment such as treadmills, ellipticals and more. Targeted injuries include head trauma (concussions, internal bleeding etc.) and bodily fractures.

Males: Young adults and men are up to 2.5 times more likely to experience a gym-related injury accounting for nearly 60% of all weightlifting accidents (machines and free weights) focusing trauma on the upper trunk, shoulders and bicep areas.

Females: Especially in group fitness sessions, female participants suffer significantly higher rates of knee (ACL) and ankle fractures and sprains than male participants.

Key Sources of Injury: 

• Lifting, carrying, and overexertion that target injuries to lower back and shoulder muscle groups and joints.

  
  

• Lifting weights using improper technique and/or lack of trainer management and supervision targets injuries to a variety of musculoskeletal tears.

  
  

• Equipment malfunction and/or member misuse: Nearly 15% of all club accidents occur mainly via treadmill falls, resistance band snaps, collapsing weight and workout benches.

More than ever, it is essential for all gym, health and fitness club owners and operators to understand the importance of activating a comprehensive Club Safety and Risk Plan that specifically addresses on-premises injuries and accidents, personal safety and facility security, and other types of emergency events. 

Understanding the root causes of club injuries and accidents will help to ensure you engage the appropriate Plan protocols and systems in place to protect your most valued assets.