WAG Hyperextended elbows w/ picture

[Becauseisaid]

I have been dying to ask this question since my daughter started competing.

I know that bent arms is a deduction on bars. But what about if they're bent the wrong way? Both of my daughter's arms hyperextend (to the point that the things look like they are going to snap). I've always wondered if she's being deducted because her arms are not a straight line.

 

[2G1B]

I saw a kid at practice Monday who's arms were like this. No idea of if it is a deduction; but it sure makes me cringe since it looks like they are going to break!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

holy schmoly! she'll have to be careful with those elbows.

 

[htimcj]

My DD elbows can do this. I only really notice it on vault and when she salutes. Then her elbows look like your DD.

 

[Becauseisaid]

it sure makes me cringe since it looks like they are going to break!

I know it's my own child, but I have to say Me too! I know there is nothing wrong with her arms, but they just LOOK like they're going to snap! Squicks me out.

Honestly though I only ever notice it on the bars. Which is what makes me wonder if it's a deduction.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

mine hyper-extends too, she has learned with lots of care and corrections where to stop and never to lock out - the physio was most insistent that she try and do this herself to prevent injury.

 

[saddlupasb]

I never take a deduction for bent arms in cases like that. Hers are obviously hyperextended. I do teach my gymnasts to bend a little in some cases. That way they look straight to the judges.

 

[thefellowsmom]

Ooh, so I am totally not trying to be an expert or scare you or tell you what to do and I am definitely not qualified to give any advice other from personal experience, but this is one of my soap box issues and I can't help but say something as my dd was injured by it, so please take this info in that vain only.

Don't know about the deduction, but my dd had hypermobile elbows when she was younger and she ended up dislocating one doing a simple backwalkover so dunno is right, she will need to be careful and learn to control them. My dd was barely seven when this happened.

Through a lot of strength training and neuromuscular work to support her through development we were able to strengthen and support her elbows and make sure that her mind doesn't allow them to turn that far anymore and she is much better. This included her coaches enforcing taking six months off from going backwards to her hands at all while she got stronger and competing an entire season without a backhandspring to recover from her injury and make sure that she was safe and strong to ensure a long and healthy gymnastics career.

Learning how to stop them from over rotating like that (the joint turns which is how it overextends like that) and arm strength is going to be key to her safety in this sport.

One of the main thing that they had my dd do is push ups. At the top of the push up she would consciously keep her inner elbows facing each other and not let them turn forward. They also had her hold a lot of plank position with her arms while doing other things with the rest of her body. Again, teaching her mind to automatically keep them in line.

This position on the bar like that seems to be the place where they look the grossest. I still notice it a little when she is resting on the bar but when she pushes up like that her mind fixes it and I hardly notice it anywhere else. She is nine now though and it seems to be something that lessens with age as well.

We were very lucky to have the help of someone who was very familiar with gymnastics and had a whole program to help her with this and coaches that knew enough to take the time to build her a safe body. I would say a good sports PT with a gymnastics background could do this as well.

This if very common in flexible young girls and may never be an issue for your daughter at all, just can't keep myself from bringing this to people's attention whenever it comes up so that you have some information.

 

[Becauseisaid]

Okay, so now I'm freaked out.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

its just a case of learning where to stop - not locking out. Exercises can help. Taker her to a PT and they give her strengthening exercises.

 

[thefellowsmom]

So sorry, totally didn't mean to freak anyone out. Like iwannbemargo said, it is just about learning where to stop and building strength.

 

[Redford]

I agree with the above posted.
My elbows are not NEARLY as hyperextended as your DDs but it was enough to dislocate one right away on my first BHS after 5 years. Not enough strength in those arms.
No need to panik, those seemingly creepy elbows can support a whole lot, but it's better to work on the issue before anything happens, once dislocated they will never be as stabil again.

 

[Krystan]

I have hypermobile joints and it can be a problem. I've never dislocated, but have had pain in elbows and knees throughout my life. Doctors have always told me it helps to strengthen the muscles around the joints and never let the joint "sit" in a hyperextended position. That puts pressure on an area that was never meant to bear it and can cause pain, stretched ligaments, etc. Nothing to freak out over, but something to be aware of.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I agree with the above posted.
My elbows are not NEARLY as hyperextended as your DDs but it was enough to dislocate one right away on my first BHS after 5 years. Not enough strength in those arms.
No need to panik, those seemingly creepy elbows can support a whole lot, but it's better to work on the issue before anything happens, once dislocated they will never be as stabil again.

actually, that is not true. the best thing that can happen is for these kinds of elbows to dislocate. they will never go to straight again. not talking open nasty elbow injury, open fracture, etc; just talking about a simple fall and poof...dislocate. go to doc. reduction. no bone chips. no torn tendons. understand? simple and complete dislocate.

 

[Redford]

If you say so.
Then mine obviously either wasn't completly dislocated or not as simple as doc said. Either way, they will still go beyond 180 degrees if I let them. It is how it is.

 

[profmom]

Both DD and DS hyperextend, but it looks to me like the coaches have been working with both of them on it. I could have posted just about the same pic of DD about two years ago, but even though she can still make her elbows look completely disgusting when she wants to, she doesn't look like that in support any more. When she was recovering from her broken arm, the PT knew the elbow was fine when she once again could show 10 degrees of hyperextension, just like the other arm.

Same with DS, who also has very flexible shoulders to go with the scary elbows. One of his coaches once told him not to do a particular weird thing he was doing with his shoulders lest he make them even more mobile than they already are. He can just about rest his head on the ground when he's on the floor with his arms stretched out behind him with palms down. Apparently this means his L8 high bar routine will involve German giants.

 

[gymdog]

actually, that is not true. the best thing that can happen is for these kinds of elbows to dislocate. they will never go to straight again. not talking open nasty elbow injury, open fracture, etc; just talking about a simple fall and poof...dislocate. go to doc. reduction. no bone chips. no torn tendons. understand? simple and complete dislocate.

No torn tendons is the key, but on the other hand in a simple dislocate of say a 7 year old doing a back walkover, that would be likely. In an adult jumping back onto their arms without enough strength in their body, a torn tendon seems relatively likely to me. Even in the case of ligament damage, I have seen kids heal and then have normal ability to do gymnastics. Kids and adults are pretty hard to compare when it comes to elbow dislocation (I know you weren't directly comparing, it just seems to me like Redford's injury didn't happen when she was a kid).