Coaches Back injury prevention

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Lately, my boys seem to have an unnacceptably high incidence of back injuries -- nothing major, but a lot of soreness and strained muscles (my most powerful tumbler/vaulter may be scratching floor and vault at states this weekend due to a sore back).

Are there any particular stretches or exercises that will decrease the instance of such injuries?

Also, there's one particular case on which I'd welcome any insight; one of my boys was working a chinese tap on high bar (in straps) for the first time, and when he did one, he immediately complained of back pain. He ended up skipping the next practice because his back was still sore two days later. Another gymnast of mine had a similar issue when he first started working endos, but when I asked the consensus was that some soreness is typical when endos are first introduced; is the same true of a chinese tap? If not, what can I do to avoid this problem?

 

[gymdog]

Often the back will take too much stress if the shoulders aren't pulling their weight, so to speak. Have to stress shoulder flexibility and activation. But I'm sure some people who are more physiologically minded can speak to the phenomenon of kids who are loose in their lower backs and the other muscle imbalances that come along with that. I have observed these (especially with girls) but I know boys tend to have some different patterns (and the shoulders can be a big thing). I have tight shoulders and tight hip flexors - that doesn't help when you're doing a lot of arching stuff.

one good stretching technique I've seen is to do "bridges" with lower body elevated (even rigid) just focusing on stretching the upper back, shoulders over hands.

 

[gymdog]

Hmm, since no one else answered and I still can't do it justice, i would refer to the Feb 2010 issue of Technique, the article about posture for takeoff and landings, last page, part D. If you don't have this then let me know and I will type the relevant section. I had heard a presentation addressing this from someone who is both a coach but also has a strong background in biomechanics and physiology, really great, anyway he suggested we need to be careful about graduating surfaces, i.e. not have the kids always doing tumble track until right before the meet, then move to the floor. Putting some graduation in between instead. Another suggestion was to use a 1-2-3 training cycle, where the first week is basics and track/rod floor/pit skills, 2nd week - half sets and some basics/drills, third week - routines. The suggestion was to set your meet schedule with having a cycle like this in mind. Or if longer than 3 weeks between the meets, adapt to that.

The Technique article goes into some discussion about how all the training aids (track, pit) can allow for landing technique that isn't ideal where the kids learn to absorb without using the knees and ankles (due to lack of flexibility in the achilles and foot, for example - or just don't understand how to do it). Then they go to the floor and their lower back is taking the stress of the landing - because they are not activating anything else to take it with the technique (or lack of) they are using. The article suggested many exercises and "drills" to work on these things. Nothing groundbreaking but important to see it laid out in that comprehensive format. One thing I feel strong about is the leg extension and being able to get the heel off the floor in a pike stretch (knee on the floor). I am not saying sit on the kids or have them sit on each other, I understand this is discouraged, but I feel the kids should be able to gently stretch (gentle pressure pushing on the knee and pulling on the top of the foot) to achieve this stretch. I have very quick muscles but naturally tight with that muscle at the back of the knee, and through my legs (the lack of extension). I feel this stretching extension really improved the quality of my gymnastics and I didn't sacrifice power. Someone showed me to do this every day, several times a day just about when I was hitting L7, and I had HUGE improvement in my pike stretch and extension very quickly. Of course we're talking about girls' gymnastics where the extension aspect is pretty important for aesthetic reasons.