Evaluating Pains and Gains Of Weight Lifting Regimen

A recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in five people lifts weights regularly. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association reports an 89 percent increase in the number of people lifting free weights and a 50 percent increase in those using weight machines from 1987 to 1999. But as more people get involved in weight training, more people get hurt. A new study from the University of Arkansas looked at more than 20,000 weight-training injuries from 1978 to 1998 and found sharp increases in injuries. In men over 50, weight-training injuries jumped 331 percent over the 20-year period, while injuries among their female counterparts rose 212 percent.