Sometimes I post photos or videos of parts of my workouts on my Facebook feed. Amidst the "good jobs, likes, etc, almost always someone asks something like "aren't you worried that you'll hurt your Back/Knee/Shoulder or whatever?". So,I thought I'd address those concerns here.
The honest truth is, yes. There is some risk in lifting weights. There's some risk in Letting people throw you onto a mat. There is risk in letting people stand on your shoulders. I go to some lengths to ensure that my various activities are as safe as they can be, while still furthering my goals. But at the end of the day, it has to be admitted that there are almost no activities that come with ZERO risk.
But in order for me to do some of the things that I want to do, I need to develop QUALITIES that I don't have, or have in insufficient amounts. Sure, I'm strong enough to throw my judo partners, but it's easier if I'm stronger to boot. It is way easier to throw my acrobatic partners in the air if I'm strong. Maybe most importantly though, There's a two year old in my life that I want to be able to play with for as long as he's willing to hang with his dad.
So, I work to get stronger. Even though there's some risk. Even though there's a price, in terms of soreness, bruises, minor injuries of the bumps and bruises variety. And for sure, some days I weigh that price versus the benefit, and decide that it's not the right balance, and I take a day off.
On the other hand, if we're talking purely about risk, I feel I ought to point out that NOT getting enough exercise, comes with it's own risks. Check out this article https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6465323/ if you want some evidence. There are lots of people in my life that complain because their backs, or their knees, or their hips or whatever hurts due to a lack of exercise. So, they get the same kind of damage, but without increasing any of their capacities. And I can attest, that often when people start moving again, their bodies hurt less.
So, at the end of the day, there's a cost, and some risk for everyone. The only question is the degree of benefit you get for that price.