Tiger paw usage.

[lakshmi369]

Our DD has had to look for some wrist pain relief and is going with Tiger Paws. Does anyone have suggestions for how to break them in?

[Imat3]

My daughter uses tiger paws. When she first got them she just started using them and didn't have any trouble breaking them in. They were a little stiff at first, but they helped so much with her wrist pain that she could just deal with the stiffness. She loves them and they really help her with floor and vault.
Imat3

[lakshmi369]

Thanks, I guess she will just have to just keep working with them until they loosen up a bit. She is a small gymnast so it may take a bit more work to get the 'Paws to give a bit more.

[Ingymmom]

"We use a different brand, but our coach has our gymmies do tap swings to break in their grips."


*** oops misunderstood, I realize now the tiger paws are to protect or add some sort of support to the wrist... sorry wrong comment

[blondegymnastxo]

Just so you know paws make your wrists really weak, so when your dd wrists stop hurting try and have her stop using them. For a while i was using paws and now i hardly ever use them.... i hope your dd wrists get better.

[KBT]

I was also going to comment that you should make sure your daughter does extra wrist strength. Many who use Tiger Paws don't do much because the paws will compensate for lack of strength and add that extra support. In reality, if a kid needs paws, she should probably be doing MORE wrist strength than her teammates since she's prone to weak/painful wrists. There's some strength suggestions here: Gymnastics Coaching Blog Archive preventing wrist pain on pommel horse

[gym law mom]

When my gymmie complained of wrist pain at our former gym, their "fix" was to tell her to get tiger paws. Seemed all the kids L6 and above started wearing them whether they needed them or not. They almost were becoming a fashion statement! When we switched gyms the head coach told her he really didn't think they were helpful(for reasons mentioned above) and showed her some wrist strengthening exercises and told her he bet, that doing those plus gradually getting rid of the tiger paws would solve the wrist pain problem. She actually wasn't even having much pain, but had just gotten used to wearing them.

Happy to say that after about 1 month she stopped wearing them for any vaulting and after another 1.5 mos stopped using them for any tumbling. If her wrists continue to bother her, do take her to see her doctor. Always want to make sure its not just "overuse" or from learning a new skill.

[Imat3]

Well, it sounds like I am in the minority here on my opinion.

A little background though...my daughter did T&T for a couple of years. Practice consisted of about an hour of constant tumbling. Her pass was round off 7 bhs. So, her wrists really hurt. She actually broke one of them while doing a bhs. No, her wrist were not turned out...her form was good. She wore a cast for 6 weeks, followed up with 3 mos of PT. The PT helped some, but she really needs the tiger paws and the therapist and doctor agreed that she needed the support.

I had also heard that the tiger paws will make the wrist weaker, but it is what she needs to be able to do gymnastics. She loves them, and they work for her. I guess gymnasts don't really need grips either, but most use them to help them out with their grip on bars. Maybe if they never used the grips, they would have no trouble hanging onto the bar as they would have more grip strength? Not sure...just a thought.

Imat3

[kvgymnast]

when i got my tiger paws they had a styrafoam and plastic thing in the velcro part and i actually just took the styrafoam right out because i could barely move my wrist. and they are still stiff enough to work for me so i would try doing that. and try to keep moving your wrist as much as possible in them in your spare time.

[KBT]

I do think there are some kids who need the extra wrist support. It sounds like your daughter is one of them, Imat3. But most kids can get by with extra wrist strength. I have seen way too many kids use them as a fashion accessory because all the cool kids wear tiger paws. I just want to make sure they're being used appropriately. Plus it's hard to ween yourself off using them once you get used to the feel so once you start, it's hard to stop.