WAG Injury prevention

[gasrgoose]

What do you do for your gymnasts for injury prevention? Do you ice after practice? Epsom salt baths? Massage? Chiropractor? Coaches or parents let us know your favorites and what you think doesn't work.

 

[profmom]

Remind them to never, ever, ever cheat on conditioning.

 

[kitkat]

For us it totally depends on what the injury is. Sometimes its the chiropractor, sometimes its acupuncture. Epsom salt baths and massages are very regular. We never wait for injury to do either of those. I would agree with profmom - never cheat on conditioning.
Also - three years ago my daughter rolled her ankle doing a switch split. We didn't think much of it at the time. Fast forward two years later and she now has a weaker ankle on one foot then the other. It took us a year of physio exercises to get it to the same level as her other one. SO my point is - even if its a pretty simple injury you still may need exercises to correct that otherwise over the long term it could get worse.

Kat

 

[wallflower]

Hope, cross my fingers and pray

 

[LizzieLac]

Ice whenever something hurts - even a little.

 

[GymBee97]

injuries are going to happen so just be careful and do the work the coach gives. I see girls "cheating" on their conditioning (you know doing 7 of something when asked to do 10). Be aware of your skill set and know when its time to "go for it" and most of all a giant bubble wrap suit LOL. ThinkGeek :: Bubble Wrap Suit

 

[JBS]

Strength and flexibility.
Lots of trampoline and tumble track. Compulsories are 75% trampoline...tumble track...and mini-tramp for vault and floor.
Must be able to twist at least a half twist higher on trampoline than the skill being preformed on the event.
Extra matting under beam and bars all the time.
Landing training.
Resi and loose foam pits.
All landing skills must be done up to a 8" - 32" raised "soft" landing before going live. Height of the raised landing that we require is determined by the gymnast...the skill...and the event.
Tiger paws on Yurchenkos.

 

[Committed]

Mine would need the bubble wrap suit....inside a bubble. Accident prone, klutzy, whatever you want to call it, she has it.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

conditioning and flexibility and lots of rope. i lurve rope.

 

[All Chalked Up]

Injury prevention? What's that? Because I don't think my coach has ever heard of it..........

However, she certainly gives us nice, big numbers for conditioning & certainly takes her time when streching us

 

[iwannacoach]

An experienced coach who's patient enough to wait until each child is ready for the next of anything combined with a gymnast who's put in all the conditioning and flexibility as directed by the coach.

A coach who's able to take a kid back a step when a new skill or progression isn't going as it should.

A gymnast who believes in the importance of clearing their mind and concentrating on "the skill" every single time.

Having and using the right equipment and matting.

Knowing that pain from too many repetitions won't go away until discontinuing work on the skill or reducing the numbers until the gymnast has increased in strength, or strength to weight ratio.

Realizing that the phrase "That will have to do" when talking about equipment, matting, and preparation will increase the risk of injury, and that accidents are never planned.... but they do happen more frequently to those who don't plan.

Proper lighting.

Adequate rest and sleep.

Healthy habits that support training rather than conflict with it.

Preventative therapy practices such as icing, hot soaks in Epsom salt baths, and massage. Preferably at the earliest signs of of pain other than mild muscle soreness.

A "lucky" rabbit's foot in the gym bag.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

2 of those in the bag ^^^

 

[All Chalked Up]

I certainly wish I had coaches are educated in injury prevention...

Your gymnasts are extremely lucky

 

[BlairBob]

The tendency is for coaches to talk about injury prevention after injuries. It's a grinding mindset. Meatgrinder. You won't need injury prevention if you are ELITE enough.

That being said, as a coach we don't really have a lot of power to mandate Recovery. We can say that good nutrition is a good idea for optimal performance as is sleep and all the various recovery/rest protocols. "Yeah, that's a good idea!"

Injury prevention is also not really covered in coaching education. That's the realm of Kinesiology majors, and personal trainers or S&C coaches. There are some clinics at Congress but accreditation in gymnastics is more about coaching skills and safety.

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

A good nights rest can go a long ways. Tired girls means tired muscles and that equals injuries. Gotta get the rest.

 

[iwannacoach]

That being said, as a coach we don't really have a lot of power to mandate Recovery. We can say that good nutrition is a good idea for optimal performance as is sleep and all the various recovery/rest protocols. "Yeah, that's a good idea!".......BlairBob

You can only tell them, the kids and parents, what it takes to have the healthiest and most productive experience, and then do your best as a coach in the areas you *can* control. The bottom line, for me, is that much of a gymnast's fate is in his or her hands, as they are the only ones who can invest in their gymnastics outcome with wise health choices and disciplined work in the gym.

 

[Gymnastisism]

Ice everything haha. I also have a bad knee that tends to buckle on my landings. I always make sure I have it wrapped up so I don't blow out my knee. Also make sure all conditioning is done and you understand exactly what you need to do before performing a new skill

 

[Kiwi]

Exercises from our neuromuscular therapist and physiotherapist, done consistently. Warming up properly before training. Don't keep training on anything that's hurting. Don't rush anything (e.g. don't rush through your beam routine because you only get a 30 second warm up, unless you want to fall off and hurt yourself).