Many different thoughts and practices exist in daily gymnastics training. Does it make sense to take a gymnast who go theirinjury in the first place by rolling her ankle down and in and stretch the down portion more? Keep this position for a couple of seconds and do the same for the other arm. Beam, Parallel Bar, High Bar Technique Drills Involving Splits Physiother Res Int 2002;7:1-13. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 25:3809, 1997. This site is oriented to my opinions and thoughts regarding the subject matter. Nho, et al. Draovitch P, Edelstein J, Kelly BT. As mentioned, the important take away here is to focus on things we can change, like the muscles themselves. Although there is a lot of research and textbook chapters written on these concepts (38-40), I have found that a multi step warm-up seems to be the best approach for this goal. A huge issue related to local ankle problems and also up the chain issues in gymnasts is the large imbalance that develops between the toes down motion (plantar flexion) and Toes up motion (dorsiflexion). Im glad you asked! Although I highly encourage people to review it and read the evidence for themselves, their thoughts follow in line with the ideas noted above related to changes in sensation or tolerance of stretching, rather than true muscle tissue changes. By this I mean those based on a proper assessment, that does not induce excessive pain, that has a consistency over intensity mindset, and uses stretching as once piece of a larger program for flexibility. Heres 3thoughts about why. Clin Sports Med 30 (2011) 349-367. Yamaguchi T1, Ishii K, Yamanaka M, Yasuda K. Acute effect of static stretching on power output during concentric dynamic constant external resistance leg extension.J Strength Cond Res. 3556). Tumbl Trak Athlete Wellness and Recovery Kit, Front splits, straddle splits, handstands and pommel horse/parallel bar flexibility, Downloadable checklists to use at practice, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4295707/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6322373/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945046/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26944667, https://shiftmovementscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Book-Cover.jpg, The Ultimate Gymnastics Flexibility Guide, Tom Meadows on Developing Elite Male Gymnasts and His Best Coaching Advice, Helping Gymnastics Coaches Stay Happy In The Gym and Change Their Cultures. Clinics in Sports Medicine July 2016Volume 35, Issue 3, Pages 435-447, Weber, et al. So here are some main take always to help. Tissues most commonly targeted are the latissimus dorsi, teres major, and pec muscles. A paper by Weppler / Magnussun in 2010 (find it here, A paper by Ben / Harvey in 2010 (find it here, A reduction in the amount of stiffness or compliance within muscles (viscoelasticity), although likely transient, An increase in the length of contractile units within muscles (sarcomeregenesis) especially if eccentrics are used, Increases in the water content, blood flow, and temperature within muscles acutely, A 2018 systematic review by Thomas et al (, The issue is not with use of stretching. The analogy I use with people from a coaching background is to compare it to the giant swing and the necessary components to complete the skill. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Beardsley C, Skarabot J. Flexibility is frequently included in talent identification and screening measures for gymnasts, divers, and dancers (2, 10, 11, 16, 20, 21). These issues are commonly overlooked as culprits to why a gymnast struggles in this area of gymnastics. Amplitude - refers to the fullness of the movement with respect to flexibility stretch, and height Apparatus - one of the five pieces of hand-held equipment used in rhythmic gymnastics. nih.gov/pubmed/24856792, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/19497032, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29506306, http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0045661, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25559637, The The Hyperflexibile Hip: Managing Hip Pain In Gymnasts and Dancers, Risk Factors for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury. Acute Effects of Stretching on Passive Properties of Human Gastrocnemius Muscle-Tendon Unit: Analysis of Differences Between Hold-Relax and Static Stretching. Simply doing more splits or pulling shoulders open with stretches that are a bit extreme will likely not get to the cause of the issue. . If these joints are subject to ongoing stretching past their normal end ranges of motion, it can significantly increase the risk of injury. Both skills allow the spine, shoulders and hips to bend while the body is in continual motion. They also are usually subject to 100s of squats, squat jumps, and leg tigthening exercises per week. Gymnasts partake in stretching every day for months on end, so we cant conclude that changes in muscle tissue over time are not occurring. 95 97 In theory, it incorporates not only neural encoding but also motor skill acquisition and deliberate practice. This often happens when the gymnast is working one legged leaps or jumps, takes off for a skill off balance, or lands with their weight more onto one leg. Herbert RD1, de Noronha M. Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. So I know this has been an absolute beast of an article. I meet many well-intentioned gymnastics coaches and parents who are simply looking for an easy to use, but scientifically-backed flexibility program to help the gymnasts they know to increase their flexibility, reduce the risk of injury, and increase their performance. In simpler terms, I think that ankle weights make the skill very different compared to just the weight of the leg, and dont accurately represent/have transferred to nonweighted leaps. Due to this, they may not be biasing the proper muscular tissue intended and as a result may show limited effectiveness. These stretches below are seen daily in gymnastics. Also, think how they apply to the gymnasts skill profile. Without the ability to assess these various factors, it can be very challenging to make progress in flexibility. That said, there are certainly changes in muscle stiffness, as well as the length of a muscle, again when appropriately used stretching methods are used. Why Do So Many Gymnasts Struggle Even When They Stretch Daily? It is only one piece of the puzzle that must be used in combination with movement assessments, strength work, technique work, consistent practice, and periodization programs that calculate work to rest ratios. Slowly stretch into the desired position, as far as possible without pain, and hold the stretch for 15-60 seconds. Your legs should be at a 90 angle. (18-26). The hip socket being overly shallow is referred to as dysplasia. Some gymnasts with dysplasia or hypermobile hip capsules never have pain, but some are so far on the continuum of too excessive mobility that it leads to instability and injury. Although these traditional training methods can yield short-term benefits and may help increase an athletes awareness of body position, problems clearly exist with this model. The strips are cut in sections approximately 5'6" in length (approximately 170cm). Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2004. The Young Injured Gymnast: A Literature Review and Discussion. As mentioned above, the research mainly leans towards changes in perceived discomfort through neurological mechanisms over changes to muscle tissue, especially in the short term (41-42). In terms of stretching induced neurological changes to the muscle tissue, the majority of the articles theorize that the main reasons behind this include, All of these mechanisms may be occurring as people stretch consistently over a long period of time. Is there a distinct pattern to the acetabular labrum and articular cartilage damage in the non-dysplastic hip with instability? This wraps in not only the passive range but also strength, active control, technique, and many other factors. I also have taken some of the most effective and popular flexibility circuits Ive made for male and female gymnasts and put them into a quick PDF to use in the gym. The farther the loadis away from the joint, the more force it will haveon it. Ive been fortunate that now after learning from many people and textbooks, I really have a good handle on the concepts that seem to work, and those that dont really tend to make a big difference in the long term. I generally recommend that not stretch have more intensity than a 3 or 4 out of 10 (0 is no discomfort, 10 is extreme discomfort). Using proper movement assessments, understanding the anatomy, and a consistency over intensity mindset is what will reduce injury risk and increase gymnastics performance. This would suggest that with significant immobilization or time spent in prolonged tension, sarcomeregensis may occur within the muscles. People assume that progress is being made, rather than having some comparative baseline for observing changes. In the short term, these smaller flare-ups of pain may not create huge issues. While some of it was helpful, I found that the majority of it was based on anecdotal evidence, and did not have a really solid grounding in the science of anatomy, physiology, medicine, or strength and conditioning. The Mechanisms of Manual Therapy in the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Pain: A Comprehensive Model. Given all of this, instead of doing twenty to thirty minutes of only stretching exercises, I now feel working in a complex type format is the most beneficial approach. Simultaneously, draw the foot at the back further behind you. The main reason as mentioned above is because the stretch pain reported may be coming from a few overlapping body structures, some we should be aiming to target (muscles, fascial tissue, some tendinous) and some we should not be (bony joints, ligaments, capsules, labrums, etc.). (41-42, 44-45). Unfortunately, this leaves the gymnast feeling very defeated as if something is wrong with them, not to mention still struggling with skills and possibly at an elevated injury risk. Its my opinion that other aspects to physical preparation like strength or skill training, cause more structural changes to muscle tissue due to their higher force and volume nature. Also, aggressively pushing a gymnast down in a split or not taking the time to break down why someone is limited can also lead to serious injuries. It directly relates to this conversation on the need to understand anatomy, as well as active and passive structures, and knowing where discomfort is or is not expected. Like in the shoulder, natural mobility of the hip allows them to move through a greater motion. Oct 4 (15). Konrad A, Gad M, Tilp M1. J Hip Preserv Surg (2015) 2 (2):123-135.doi: 10.1093/jhps/hnv017. (30-34). When this is the case, there may be a more optimal approach based on the anatomy of the shoulder joint. The ligaments and joint capsule, along with the alignment of the ball on the socket, create what is known as the passive structures or stabilizers. The passive structures include things like the bones, ligaments, joint capsules, and the inherent boney alignment we are born with. After having various conversations about flexibility with people in the gymnastics community, the safety of training over splits is typically the biggest question. They accurately outline that areas like muscular strength and joint control must be trained in parallel with stretching. 132 146, Sands WA, McNeal J. Proper assessments and specific stretching methods must be used so that excessive strain on passive tissue like bones, ligaments, and joint capsules is avoided. They tell me they often times find temporary progress, but nothing seems to stick long term and actually show up in their skills. It was found that thirty minutes of supervised hamstring stretching to the point of discomfort, five days per week for six weeks improved overall range of motion but did not increase the muscle extensibility. Picture 3 is a lat stretch where the athlete sits Int J Exerc Sci. There may be a lot of variation on exact exercises/stretches included in your athletes' warm-up, but do try to include ALL of the following components: Targeted Muscular Stretching, or PNF Techniques I view it as a tool to open the door for gymnasts to then perform strength, technique, and control work for gymnastics skills. This end range compression and increase in capsular laxity over time may predispose shoulder instability, subacromial impingement of the rotator cuff or biceps tendon, and labral damage. 2014 Jan; 46(1): 131-14. Hip Instability: Current Concepts and Treatment. Its also really important to remember that the upper back, or thoracic spine, and the next play a huge role in shoulder motion. Examples of gymnastics skills that require dynamic flexibility are a walkover and a handspring. It may help improve range of motion acutely, but it will not change movement in a gymnastics skill-specific manner. Herbert RD, Gabriel M. Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: a systematic review. I have this theory based on the changes in boney rotation that baseball players exhibit from throwing when younger. It may help reverse the hypoxic or acidic environments that occur during challenging workouts. Am J Sports Med 2011 39: 85S. Half the group performed static stretches, while the other half performed Hold Relax stretching, a variety of PNF. I want to emphasize that proper stretching and soft tissue work is not the only method to improve flexibility and performance for gymnasts. This natural selection type introduction to gymnastics presents an essential background foundational concept of flexibility training. Missing ankle dorsiflexion is a huge problem because it creates local ankle issues for injury but also causes a huge ripple effect up the leg chain as other joints and structures have to compensate. Determination and Desire are however the most important traits for successful participation in any It can be accomplished through an addition by subtraction type approach of using an alternative exercise or changing the alignment of certain common gymnastics stretches. These common active structures limiting overhead shoulder flexibility we want to focus on making more mobile. With this concept of overuse muscular stiffness in mind, I want to pause for a critical point. Cur Rev Musculoskelet Med. Enseki et al., Nonarthritic Hip Joint Pain: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health from Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. These gymnasts typically have natural flexibility but may struggle to build strength and power during training. It will be much less explanation, and more just videos and examples on how to help. Huang R, Diaz C, Parvizi J. Acetabular Labral Tears: Focused Review of Anatomy, Diagnosis, and Current Management . We must educate ourselves on what components go into a full handstand or split positions, then be able to reverse engineer why a gymnast is struggling. Gymnasts practice up to 30 hours a week and have regiments full of conditioning and exercises. Increasing muscle extensibility: a matter of increasing length or modifying sensation? The way someones hips or shoulders are shaped, unique rotations of bones, certain anatomical variations, or issues along the entire body chain, can all have a substantial impact on the amount of flexibility a gymnast can display during skills. Everyone in gymnastics should understand that there are many subcomponents of split, overhead handstand, or behind the back patterns that must be worked on. J Bodyw Mov Ther. This is typically why these gymnasts from a young age enjoy recreational gymnastics. Healey KC, et al. Remember we want to focus on the active muscular tissue, not the passive ligament or joint capsule tissue. I have found that many of the traditional general stretches we use as go to methods for increasing flexibility do not have proper assessments preceding them or may not have anatomical considerations in mind. These cases are much less frequent in gymnastics but do exist. Sometimes in such a high force sport, these bumps and bruises are inevitable. Gymnastics requires a significant amount of flexibility for skills to be done correctly and safely. So think about this for a second. In Llyod RS, Oliver JL, Strength and Conditioning for Young Athletes: Science and Application. If someone is continuing to struggle with hip mobility, rather than just pushing more take a step back and consider this concept. Forcing a split down into extreme ranges of an oversplit without a proper assessment behind it, asking a gymnast to perform over splits when they are not even close to a split on flat ground, or blindly pushing someone down just to be tough, is most definitely dangerous. To protect the gymnasts in our care and to protect ourselves against possible allegations of poor practice, coaches must carefully consider their . With slightly more difficult exercises and higher volume, the workouts are still only up to 45 minutes in duration. Front Splits. For that reason, I typically approach the warm-up is getting the body ready for the training session. We all must understand and apply the best available science for hip and shoulder research to avoid excessive strain being placed on the passive structures of gymnasts. 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