WAG Wrist pain

[M_Keely]

I am working on my bhs on beam and have done it on low beam with no mats a few times. The problem is that every time I work on them, or any sort of tumbling requiring hands, my wrists really start hurting. I feel like its stopping me from not practicing as hard as i could be and I dread going to beam because I know my wrists will start hurting. Any advice or conditioning to strengthen? Anything appreciated, thanks!

 

[munchkin3]

How old are you, and how long have they been hurting?

 

[amblan01]

I would definitely get a pair of tiger paws to use on floor and vault and then take them off on beam and your wrists will be fresh for beam and won't be tired from other skills so you don't crack or snap a wrist. I love my tiger paws and I am 14 and a lot of people don't recommend them until you are about 13 or so.

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[livelifetumble8dx]

I had the same problem with my wrists a few months ago. Tumbling hurt but what really hurt was bhs stepouts on beam lol. My coach wouldn't let me get tiger paws though & told me to ice it after every practice. Maybe ask your coach if you can work dismounts or jumps/leaps because your wrist is really bothering you. If it really is becoming too much, you should probably go to the docter and make sure nothing is sprained! Good luck.

 

[M_Keely]

Thanks! I am 14 an have thought about tiger paws but don't want to become "addicted" to them as I've read a lot of gymnasts do.

 

[munchkin3]

M keely, first of all, addicted to tiger paws is flat out wrong.
In gymnastics the amount of stress you are putting on our wrists is inhuman!!!! You should be thinking about protecting your wrists so that they last you as long as possible....coaches tell gymnasts that tiger paws weaken the wrists and make things worse, however every orthopedic doctor, and hand and wrist doctor demand that kids in gymnastics use them.
i am sorry, but on health and bone issues, I would rather go with the opinion of a doctor than the one of my coach... (Sorry on this one coach).
Bars, Tusks, and yamis, well then I defer to the coach........

Through chin ups, conditioning, bars, push ups etc, your wrists are stronger than most people's. tiger paws protect massive impact of 100+lbs, smashing repeatedly on a tiny delicate joint!!!!!
I am a parent, not a coach or a doctor, but I have been in this sport for 6 years, I have seen many doctors, read many articles and thought a lot about this sport......tiger paws are a good thing and you should buy yourself a pair yesterday!!!!! And get to the doctor immediately!

ps, why do the coaches kids always wear them???? My doctors daughter (L8) wears them.

 

[ann1245]

I would see a doctor to make sure you don't have a stress fracture, which are very common in gymnast.

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[M_Keely]

Ok thanks to all the help! I'll get it checked out soon.

 

[GlitzyGymnast]

Does anyone know if its a deduction if you have colored tiger paws? If so can you get sand animal print tiger paws and not get a deduction?

 

[ACoach78]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here and contend that the issue simply a lack of wrist extension mobility and that there's probably nothing wrong with the wrist itself. The lack of mobility causes discomfort at the end range of motion. Why is there a lack of mobility? It could be any number of reasons. However, aside from tumbling, gymnasts are usually in a position of wrist flexion while swinging/hanging on the bars. Plus, wrist flexion is the more mechanically advantageous position with respect to the shoulder as I understand. So, it's the default for little kids when they hang/grab onto things.

Another thing to consider is that if you bind up a joint, the forces that would normally be absorbed through that joint will have to go somewhere else up the kinetic chain. In this situation, they will be transferred to the elbow and shoulder. In the lower extremity, poor ankle mobility causes greater forces at the knee and the hip and that's why ankle mobility is important for good hip and knee health.

Obviously, this athlete should be evaluated by a qualified physician or maybe even better - a physical therapist as they are more educated about integrated movement of the human body. But, I think it's a little bit premature to blindly just go put Tiger Paws or some other wrist brace on. It may not really be necessary. If the appropriate range-of-motion is lacking, then that should be the first line of attack - get proper mobility in the wrist. Another caveat to that is that range-of-motion may be different in open chain (hand just hanging there) versus closed chain (hand planted on ground..as in a handstand/push-up) activities. So, the athletes would need to be evaluated in both situations.

Anyway, just something to take into consideration and to give everyone something to think about. Good luck.

 

[Kiwi]

The problem could be a fault in technique, or just too many reps on a body part that isn't designed for tumbling on. I don't know anything about BHS on beam, so I don't know if Tiger Paws are an option, or if they would get in the way. Is it only beam that is a problem or do you also get sore wrists from tumbling on floor? It really annoys me when coaches make gymnasts do something to the point of pain then tell them to just ice it. This does not solve the problem!

Some coaches at our gym say that Tiger Paws weaken the wrists, but research has shown that this is not true (I read this here at CB!). What they do is slow down the speed of wrist extension as well as restrict how far it can extend, thus preventing damage from going too far/too fast. You don't get addicted to them, although they could become a psychological crutch if you never practice without them. I get my DD to wear hers when training skills (lots of reps), but take them off for routines close to comp season so she can compete without them. If you have to compete with them (if your wrists are still a bit sore) you should use as close to skin colour as possible (beige or sand).

If you have weak and/or tight wrists, this can contribute to wrist pain and injury, so it is a good idea to do wrist stretching and strengthening exercises. Gymnasts do a lot of stretching and conditioning, but rarely for the wrists. A physiotherapist should be able to give you some good exercises to do. Some that were given to me (for a wrist injury) were 1. using small weights and moving the wrist slowly through the range of flexion and extension, you can also do this side to side. 2. squeezing a small squishy ball 3. using a slosh pipe to strengthen wrist stabilising muscles. 4. stretching wrists by leaning forwards against a wall with hands flat on the wall - as the stretch gets easier you can move your hands further down the wall. Massage of the hands and forearms can also be helpful, particularly any tight spots - you can do this yourself each night.

Please note I am not an expert on anything, this is my personal experience from my own wrist injury (which took a long time to heal) and DD's occasional wrist pain problems (which we have so far managed to prevent from getting serious). If your wrist pain is really bad, you need to get it checked out by a health professional. It is really important to do something about wrist pain early, as the worse it gets, the longer it will take to heal.

 

[M_Keely]

Thank you for all the helpful replies!

 

[gymgal]

Dd didn't like tiger paws for beam because she could feel enough of the beam. We got a thinner wrist support, which has worked great. I don't remember the name but I will attempt to look for it online later today.

 

[gymgal]

Found them. They are soft and thin. Dd says it gives her just enough support on beam without being to bulky like the tiger paws, which she wears for floor and vault. Dd's ortho approved them for her to use.

http://www.muellersportsmed.com/Hg80_Wrist_Brace.htm

But obviously, everyone is different and before you buy anything, you should go to the doctor to be sure there is nothing seriously wrong

 

[Nico]

Did you ever do strength and/or flexibility exercises for the wrists? My gymnasts do these exercises almost every session to prevent wrist injuries...

 

[M_Keely]

Yes, we have an hour of conditioning after every practice and I do reps of wrist strengthening with weights and we stretch our wrists before every practice.

 

[dchawkfan]

My daughter had similar issue and it was her form; she wasn't placing her hands correctly forward on the beam. Maybe ask your coach to check your hand placement.

 

[Skadoodle]

M keely, first of all, addicted to tiger paws is flat out wrong.
In gymnastics the amount of stress you are putting on our wrists is inhuman!!!! You should be thinking about protecting your wrists so that they last you as long as possible....coaches tell gymnasts that tiger paws weaken the wrists and make things worse, however every orthopedic doctor, and hand and wrist doctor demand that kids in gymnastics use them.
i am sorry, but on health and bone issues, I would rather go with the opinion of a doctor than the one of my coach... (Sorry on this one coach).
Bars, Tusks, and yamis, well then I defer to the coach........

Through chin ups, conditioning, bars, push ups etc, your wrists are stronger than most people's. tiger paws protect massive impact of 100+lbs, smashing repeatedly on a tiny delicate joint!!!!!
I am a parent, not a coach or a doctor, but I have been in this sport for 6 years, I have seen many doctors, read many articles and thought a lot about this sport......tiger paws are a good thing and you should buy yourself a pair yesterday!!!!! And get to the doctor immediately!

ps, why do the coaches kids always wear them???? My doctors daughter (L8) wears them.

I agree! My daughter has been using a tiger paw on her left wrist for 2 years. She had tendinitis her level 4 season it was terrible. Lots of PT and the tiger paw really helps. Otherwise it falls asleep on her constantly and is achy.


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[Skadoodle]

Does anyone know if its a deduction if you have colored tiger paws? If so can you get sand animal print tiger paws and not get a deduction?

I've been told only the sand color is USAG acceptable not the sand with print.. Sorry, I know they are cute


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[saddlupasb]

Any color Tiger Paw or similar brace is acceptable for USAG. There is no deduction for colored ones. However, your gym may have their own rules regarding colors.

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