14. Over one-third of American adults can’t do five pushups
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
According to a new survey, over half of American adults say they can’t do 10 pushups in a row, and over one-third can’t do five. Gymless.org surveyed over 1400 adults and found that the percentages of adults who couldn’t do 10, or even five, straight pushups was fairly similar across age groups. And while you might not think people struggling with pushups is a big deal, studies have shown that people with difficulty doing pushups tend to have much higher risks for cardiovascular disease. In fact, a 2019 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who could do 40 straight pushups had a 96 percent lower risk of cardiac events, like heart attacks, heart failure and sudden cardiac deaths, in the 10 subsequent years.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
