Overuse Injuries With Young Gymnast

[clubhousegas]

Great interview with a Dr. Marshall on overuse injuries

Link Removed

 

[gymnut1]

I think that is quite controversial saying all optional gymnasts should wear wrist guards. I have always thought it best to build strength and train smart rather than rely on a tigerpaws. Kids don't really have them here in the UK unless they have suffered injury already. What do other people think?

 

[dancing9118000]

I fractured my wrist last year and I wore tigerpaws after that for a little while to help me train while my wrist rebuilt strength and to help my build my confidence back up to use it. I don't think everyone most people need tiger paws unless you have had injury, or are prone to landing oddly or doing skill that may increase your chance in wrist injury.

 

[Granny Smith]

My dd just started to wear tiger paws for vault only. She is 12 and hasn't even started puberty yet, her growth plates are wide open. She has suffered an overuse injury in her wrist which they are attributing to the Yurchenko. Wrists are not really meant to handle that type of pressure and then to add to the fact that her growth plates are open, there is a greater chance that she can do further damage. We have had 2 girls in our gym who have broken their wrists doing this vault and we have had 2 older girls who have had wrist surgery because of the bone growth being affected in their wrist. You can only strengthen wrist so much, they are not meant to withstand a blunt blow of body weight on a consistent basis.

The tiger paws are being used in conjunction with icing after every practice. The key to this sport is longevity, injuries decrease longevity. If tiger paws can help then I am all for them. I will say though that dd didn't start to use them until she started to experience pain due to a certain skill.

 

[gymnut1]

My dd just started to wear tiger paws for vault only. She is 12 and hasn't even started puberty yet, her growth plates are wide open. She has suffered an overuse injury in her wrist which they are attributing to the Yurchenko. Wrists are not really meant to handle that type of pressure and then to add to the fact that her growth plates are open, there is a greater chance that she can do further damage. We have had 2 girls in our gym who have broken their wrists doing this vault and we have had 2 older girls who have had wrist surgery because of the bone growth being affected in their wrist. You can only strengthen wrist so much, they are not meant to withstand a blunt blow of body weight on a consistent basis.

The tiger paws are being used in conjunction with icing after every practice. The key to this sport is longevity, injuries decrease longevity. If tiger paws can help then I am all for them. I will say though that dd didn't start to use them until she started to experience pain due to a certain skill.

In the rest of the interview he very much says to look after overuse injuries as soon as they start. Which makes sense. Then he makes a blunt statement that all optional gymnasts should wear tiger paws. What you say makes perfect sense. He mentions the Yurchenko vault particularly. He talks about BHS too. We have had discussions go on before on this board about BHS training at aged 4 and 5 and possible problems later on. It does make you think that younger children should not be doing so many pounding skills on their wrists. I too am all for reducing injury but had never heard such a blanket statement before. Sounds like your dd has good care.

 

[Granny Smith]

In the rest of the interview he very much says to look after overuse injuries as soon as they start. Which makes sense. Then he makes a blunt statement that all optional gymnasts should wear tiger paws. What you say makes perfect sense. He mentions the Yurchenko vault particularly. He talks about BHS too. We have had discussions go on before on this board about BHS training at aged 4 and 5 and possible problems later on. It does make you think that younger children should not be doing so many pounding skills on their wrists. I too am all for reducing injury but had never heard such a blanket statement before. Sounds like your dd has good care.

Sounds like he might get a kick back from Tiger Paws - blanket statements are never a good idea....

 

[gymkat]

No one does Yurchenkos at my gym without tiger paws because the nature of the vault forces your wrists to hyperextend more than just about any other skill. While we let girls do drills onto mats without them, they do not touch the table until they have tiger paws. However, I don't agree that tiger paws are absolutely necessary for every optional on beam/floor and vault for non-Yurchenkoers: I've never used them for anything but Yurchenkos, and my wrists are doing just fine.