Gymnastics is a very demanding sport on the body. The gymnasts body takes an incredible amount of force and stress with many of the complex routines from the floor landing to the bars that can lead to injuries. Each year, close to 100,000 gymnastics-related injuries are treated in hospitals, doctor’s offices, physical therapy clinics and surgery centers. With the complexity of routines, the risk of potential injury increases. Some of the more common gymnastics injuries include tears of the tendons and other tissues that support the shoulder, elbow dislocations, and wrist sprains and herniated discs.
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury. An ACL injury can occur when a gymnast lands short or is over-rotated when tumbling, dismounting, or vaulting. The ACL supports the knee and provides stability; though it can tear if it is twisted suddenly under high forces.
- Wrist sprains. The wrist is subjected to forces that can exceed twice the body weight and is the most heavily used part of the body in gymnastics. This constant strain on the wrist can lead to sprains, tears or tendonitis.
- Sprained Ankles. Ankle sprains usually occur during floor routines or falls from the balance beam or parallel bars. There are ligaments that connect the bones of the foot, ankle and lower leg. If the ankle rolls outward while the foot rolls inward, it can cause ligaments outside the ankle to stretch and tear.
- Achilles Tendonitis. The Achilles tendon is located just above the back of the heel and can be injured due to the repetitive stress of jumping and landing. A strain or injury to the Achilles tendon can result in Achilles Tendonitis where the tendon connecting the back of your leg to your heel becomes swollen and painful near the bottom of your foot.
- Herniated discs. Recurring trauma to the back is the prevailing reason for herniated disks—the lumbar segments become misaligned, putting pressure on the nerves of the spinal cord, causing debilitating pain.
At Van Hook Sports Performance our program will cover:
- Screen all Gymnastics Performance training to increase performance and decreased injury risk.
- Preventing spine injuries and developing core power.
- Preventing Shoulder Injuries and Building Shoulder Stability.
- Prevention of Knee and Ankle Injuries, Developing Leg Power.
The coaching staff at Van Hook Sports Performance run each athlete through a FMS (Functional Movement Screen) and will examine a gymnast’s strength, flexibility, and overall movement patters to evaluate where they may have limitations which increase their predisposition to injury. In the event of an injury, Van Hook Sports Performance has Physical Therapists (Athletes Physiotherapy) within the facility will work with you to reduce pain and get you back on the bars and mat as soon as possible.
Van Hook Sports Performance is Conveniently located off the 95 freeway at Warm Spring and Gibson just down the street from Gymcats Gymnastics and Dance by the valley auto mall.
