4 Common Gymnastics Injuries
Gymnastics is without a doubt one of the toughest sports (physically) for an athlete to participate in. Especially when it comes to young athletes, the risk of injury is much higher. The reason for this is the lack of skeletal/muscular development at the starting age, sheer volume of training hours and speed of progression. Injuries will commonly happen in every sport, no matter how good your coaching or recovery is. However, the more we can become familiar with these injuries and how to prevent them, we can successfully reduce the frequency of these injuries and keep our athletes on the mats!
It is very common for young gymnasts to complain of back pain. Many coaches will attribute this to a lack of conditioning, which more often than not is true! Although we can always focus on improving our physical strength, it is important to recognize when an injury may be more serious. Two of the most common problems we see in gymnasts with low back pain are compression fractures and spondylolisthesis. In addition to back pain, lower body injuries are extremely common with gymnasts. This includes knee pain and ankle sprains. We discuss all of these injuries below!
Compression Fracture
Our spine is made up of individual vertebrae (bones), separated by discs which act as shock absorbers, and are held together by ligaments and their surrounding musculature. With repetitive impact and spinal loading that we see in gymnastics due to the amount of jumping that is required, sometimes the athlete will begin to break down these vertebrae and develop a fracture. Even with the appropriate strength programs, the volume of jumping may lead to a degeneration of the already prematurely developed discs, leaving the bones to take on too much load. Many times, this can be diagnosed with spinal loading tests with a Physical Therapy evaluation, which will lead to more in depth scanning by an orthopedic specialist.
Spondylolisthesis
This condition is very common in young, female gymnasts. It occurs when the vertebrae loses stability and begins to slide forward on the vertebrae below it. This will cause a feeling of instability and general lower back pain. Spondylolisthesis is the result of repetitive spinal extension without proper focus on hip & core strengthening. Most cases of this condition can be diagnosed and completely treated with Physical Therapy. However, depending on the degree of vertebral movement, other procedures or methods of protection may become necessary.
Patellar Tendinitis
The patellar tendon is one of the strongest fibers in our body! It is the connective tissue which attaches the kneecap to the shin bone, allowing it to track up and down the patellar groove when the knee bends & extends. With repetitive jumping, landing and hard impact, this tendon will become inflamed & irritated, causing pain along the front of the knee, just underneath the kneecap. If gone untreated, it can become very painful and develop scar tissue or calcification which impairs the movement of the knee. This injury is easily treated with manual therapy techniques and hip strengthening to ensure proper movement patterns. The physical therapist will then begin to progress to jumping/landing mechanics, to help the athlete learn safe ways to perform their activity.
Ankle Sprains
As the gymnast progresses to more challenging exercises and uses equipment such as the beam, risk of ankle sprains will skyrocket. When the ankle rolls (more commonly towards the outside), the ligaments which hold the small bones of the foot together will stretch beyond their capacity, leading to instability or tearing, depending on the severity of the injury. If treated early, physical therapy will help to immediately reduce swelling & pain, restore full range of motion and begin to develop a stronger foundation for the foot/ankle as rehab progresses. The most important factor of ankle rehabilitation is the need to have it done properly the first time! Research has shown that the risk of potential ankle sprains will increase exponentially for each sprain that occurs. If this injury happens to you, be sure to seek out an expert in the field who can not only eliminate pain and get you back to sport, but takes their time to ensure that you are better off than you were before the injury happened.
If you are a gymnast or suffer from any of these injuries, do not hesitate to reach out to us ASAP! The Doctors of Physical Therapy here at Restore Physical Therapy have treated several local, competitive gymnasts with excellent results. Dr Amanda and Dr Ross have experience in the field and know exactly how to provide the best rehab and training for you to reach your goals safely, without risking re-injury.
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