Can back walkovers cause serious damage?

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Hello,
I am currently a level 6 gymnast and in order to get my back walkover on beam I did them over and over until I
finally got it. After this my lower back was in alot of pain but I figured I was just sore but its been alittle over a
month and although It feels somewhat better my back still incredibley hurts when I go into a back walkover either on beam or floor yet going backwards in any other skill doesnt. My main question is can this or any gymnastics
cause serious problems for my back either now or later in life?
 
The quick answer to this is yes repeated back walkovers can possibly cause back problems especially if you have stiff shoulders and use your back more than your shoulders to bend back. I think you should get your mum to take you to the doctor to get it checked out just in case. Pain after a month is a sign it needs looking at. The sooner the better. Make sure all your coaches know too so they can modify your workout until the pain is resolved. Hope you find some answers soon.
 
Ice your back before you go to bed on days that you have workout the next day! I've been having back problems for 2 years and I've been to so many different doctors and they honestly can't do anything about it unless you get outta gym. Ice and massage therapy are the only things I've found that work!


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Last edited by a moderator:
Erin.Meisje - I don't know if you realize it, but your post has a link to a google map of your location.

Flipping Frenzy, as a mom I would say to get it checked out.
 
Get it checked out ASAP, my dd had this it was serious. Only a doctor can work out if you have a real problem or not. YOu need oblique xrays.
 
Jen1957-Thank you for letting me know, no I didn't realize it! I turned off the location services on my phone so hopefully that fixes it!
 
Eventhough, I have been doing back walkovers for a while (at least 4 years) I still sometimes get a sore back if I do lot in one night. Talk to your coaches about it, usually they know whats going on and whether to go to a doctor. Make sure you rest it too. Ask your coaches if it is really bothering you to just do 5 max a night and the rest of your routines just skip it. Also I am not sure what your gym does but in level 6 I am pretty sure you can do a back extension role instead. This might be worthwile to play around with. But talk to your coaches. If the pain lasts a while and it is sereve a doctor's visit might be a good idea.
 
Not trying to be rude here but definitely do not leave it up the coaches to decide whether to see a doctor! They are not medical people. Pain for a month, extreme pain in back still when doing back walkovers. Talk to your mum - you need to see a doctor.

The bottom line is - you only have one back.
 
Back problems seem to really pop or flare up in L6. Especially with gymnasts with tight shoulders or who are tight, period. Besides obviously working on the shoulder and hip mobility or working backward bent arm extension roll, you need to do something. One month and still dealing with severe pain is not something that is going to get better with a night or week of rest. You seeminly are past that point. To note, I knew one coach/friend who incurred a back injury in her optional career. She could continue to do BHS on BB, but BWO was out of the question. It tends to be a lot easier on the back than a BWO. Shoulder and hip mobility/flexibility and possibly look into lower back strength such as back extensions or reverse hypers. Checking for back problems is a must as these seem to go unnoticed until the BWO on BB in L6. Disc or spine irregularities. It's not so much a problem in L4/5 BWO on floor but again seems to always be a stop point for some gymnasts in L6.
 

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