November 4, 2025, 3:35 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Whether it’s a twisted knee, a strained shoulder, or an overworked back, the gym holds more dangers than you might think. But what is the most common cause of injuries in the gym? We asked our readers in a large FITBOOK survey. Did you overestimate your weight capacity, get distracted by your smartphone, or perhaps use a faulty machine? The following factor was cited by most of the 8,158 survey participants as the cause of their injuries.
In 2024, German fitness and health facilities had more members than ever before: a remarkable 11.71 million! This represents an increase of 3.6 percent, according to the industry association DSSV.1 However, with so many people training regularly, the number of injuries also rises. Those who overestimate their abilities and lift too much weight risk overuse injuries. Or worse: the weight could fall back on them, such as during bench pressing. This is especially likely if training without a partner or spotter. Some also complain about inadequate instruction from gym staff or get distracted by their smartphones. Other inattentive gym members can also be a source of distraction.
Number 1 Cause of Injuries in the Gym
Most often, FITBOOK readers reported injuries due to “technique errors during exercise.” This option was chosen by 2,403 of the 8,158 respondents.
In second place for causes of gym injuries, with 1,827 votes, was the option “too much weight or too many repetitions,” and in third place, with 1,310 votes, was “not warmed up well enough.”
With a significant gap, 615 FITBOOK readers chose “poor instruction by staff” as the fourth-place cause, and “equipment lying around, such as dumbbells, resistance bands, or mats” with 539 votes as the fifth-place cause.
The 10 Most Common Causes of Gym Injuries at a Glance
- Technique errors during exercise (2,403 votes)
- Too much weight or too many repetitions (1,827 votes)
- Not warmed up well enough (1,310 votes)
- Poor instruction by staff (615 votes)
- Equipment lying around, such as dumbbells, resistance bands, or mats (539 votes)
- Faulty equipment (426 votes)
- Distraction by other gym-goers (318 votes)
- Smartphone use during training and no assistance from a training partner (267 votes each)
- Inappropriate shoes or clothing (186 votes)