Traumatic asphyxia in weightlifters

The cases presented here are an unrecognized source of accidental asphyxia--compression of the neck by barbells. Two cases of traumatic asphyxia due to this preventable hazard occurred in a 5-year period in central New York. There have been at least 11 similar deaths reported to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and cataloged in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System between 1999 and 2002. A petition filed in 2003 with the CPSC-proposed mandatory labeling of bench presses to make consumers aware of this hazard, but was denied. This report looks at the deaths that have occurred due to this unrecognized safety threat and provides pertinent advice to make bench-pressing a safer activity.