Parents Too many handstands?

[JumpingQueen]

Like many others here, my DD does gymnastics at home non stop. I literally can't get her to stop, she's constantly doing handstands, cartwheels, whatever she can. At dinner, for example, she will take a bite, get up and do a handstand, sit back down, repeat. She's been like this since she started Gymnastics. I know the risks like injury, poor form, etc, but curious if anyone has ever heard of any long term issues just from being upside down all the time. Like, all that blood rushing up and down makes me wonder. I forbid back walkovers because I'm so paranoid about all the back bending but now it's handstands all the time. Curious if anyone has a pov on this?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My kid was like that. She watched TV upside down. And cartwheels were how she got around the house.

I wouldn’t let her do more then those skills. She has no issues, from CW or HS. She is long over it now. Now it’s purposeful conditioning if she does anything at all at home. Pull ups, press handstands...

 

[M2Abi]

I wouldn't worry about handstands or cartwheels.

 

[NutterButter]

This is probably #1 on the list of “You Know You’re the Parent of a Gymnast When...”. She will outgrow it. Mine did around 11 and I remember that it made me a little sad because it was further evidence that DD was no longer a little girl. Smart of you to discourage the bendy stuff though!

 

[profmom]

One word of warning. They don't all outgrow it. My DD will be 17 in July. She still loves handstands. Does 50 handstand shoulder touches every day.

 

[Aussie_coach]

As others have said, it's normal and in most cases it is okay.

Except.....

If she is doing the handstands with poor form, mainly with an arch in her back. Then doing lots and lots of these arched handstands can lead to very serious back problems, often stress fractures in the back, but if her form and body shape are good and she is always remembering to push up, then she should be fine.

I also would put a stop to the handstands during dinner or any meal. That is not the bodies favourite way to digest food.

 

[Deedee]

Not so much blood rushing to her head but her wrists may get sore after a while

 

[sce]

The wrists are the most vulnerable with too many handstands. I would at least encourage her to stay seated for a whole meal. Maybe a no gymnastics during dinner rule? I fear choking is a risk with that. Then when she is doing gym at home, challenge her to vary what she does, so it is not all on her hands.

 

[JumpingQueen]

This is all great feedback! Thanks all, so much. I will definitely keep all of this in mind. She actually kicked her sister in the face somehow today on the way down from a handstand so that helped to slow her down today.

 

[jamieintexas]

I was at Disney World when my son was in this phase. We had a compromise, if he stopped walking on his hands in the park, he could walk down the hallway to the room on his hands.

 

[jessimee]

We went through this as well. Compromise was no handstands in the kitchen. Now going through it with the younger DD. Only she is a couch-vaulter. Bosu ball for the spring board, handstand flat-backs up over the arm of the couch.

 

[Taxidriver]

The wrists are the most vulnerable with too many handstands. I would at least encourage her to stay seated for a whole meal. Maybe a no gymnastics during dinner rule? I fear choking is a risk with that. Then when she is doing gym at home, challenge her to vary what she does, so it is not all on her hands.

I remember having to have the rule of ‘no gymnastics during meal times’ not a rule I ever considered I might have to have until I had a gymnast!

 

[tucktwisttumble]

We went through this as well. Compromise was no handstands in the kitchen. Now going through it with the younger DD. Only she is a couch-vaulter. Bosu ball for the spring board, handstand flat-backs up over the arm of the couch.

Hilarious.

 

[GymDadWA]

My daughter was doing a handstand while reading last night and does a lot of handstand walking right now, what I don't like about either is that she does arch her back in order to look where she is going or see the book, I am guessing it is ingraining improper form but it is also making her stronger so pluses and minuses I guess.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

.
Only she is a couch-vaulter. .

Mine would walk across the back of the free standing couch as if on beam. And she would take the cushions off to use as a tumble track at 3. That’s how this adventure began

 

[mls529]

Ha, this is the type of crazy question that only gym parents would understand! So, we have a rule that there are no handstands in the kitchen at all. that definitely includes dinner, but even no walking on hands in the kitchen at all for safety reasons. Move to the living room and handstand as much as you want. Also, I can't imagine that is good for digestion! Just set some boundaries like every other house rule. Perhaps there come a time that your kids don't do it anymore and I bet we will all miss it!

 

[gymbeam]

I’m in the “I miss it camp.” It used to drive me bonkers, but I got sad at the beach a few weeks ago when she didn’t even want to tumble in the sand because she was too sore.

It goes from cutsie to owie too fast!!

 

[SMH]

My kid is upside down more than she is right side up- cartwheels down the hall, handstands across the living room- she also couch vaults. She just can’t seem to help herself, I swear sometimes she doesn’t even realize when she cartwheels instead of walks across the room- she just does it
I don’t really mind as long as she’s not doing anything more ‘dangerous’ (like back handsprings on the wood floor).

 

[sce]

Watch out for the other danger of home gymnastics: kicking things in the home. I know a few kids who broke toes doing simple gymnastics at home.

 

[Taxidriver]

Watch out for the other danger of home gymnastics: kicking things in the home. I know a few kids who broke toes doing simple gymnastics at home.

Or cutting open a foot after cartwheeling into a glass door (thankfully not my dd)

My kid is upside down more than she is right side up- cartwheels down the hall, handstands across the living room- she also couch vaults. She just can’t seem to help herself, I swear sometimes she doesn’t even realize when she cartwheels instead of walks across the room- she just does it
I don’t really mind as long as she’s not doing anything more ‘dangerous’ (like back handsprings on the wood floor).

Yep I’m sure my dd doesn’t even realise she cartwheels as much as she does