WAG Tiger Paws

[3gymgirlsmom]

My girls have the. Now

 

[HoldThePhone]

I was out of town, but DD who just turned 8 called very excited because her coach had her get them. I'm all for protection!

 

[Rockygym]

So many have said start using before you need ...so when is that generally? A certain level or training certain skills?

 

[ascarter1]

Dd started using them in lv 6. I would definitely get the for lv 8.

 

[gymmutti]

My youngest began using them this spring when she began yurchenko drills.

 

[twinmomma]

How do you feel about them for T&T gymnasts? Specifically for the tumbling part (obviously). DD's L6 tumbling passes are 1- RO6BHS, 2- RO3BHS, BT. Power tumbling is on a rod floor. DD has yet to complain of pain but I'm wondering now that she's moved on from artistic that the increased focus on tumbling might warrant them.

 

[MILgymFAM]

How do you feel about them for T&T gymnasts? Specifically for the tumbling part (obviously). DD's L6 tumbling passes are 1- RO6BHS, 2- RO3BHS, BT. Power tumbling is on a rod floor. DD has yet to complain of pain but I'm wondering now that she's moved on from artistic that the increased focus on tumbling might warrant them.

They are common at my DDs gym for the girls who are training about L7+. My DDs coaches are somewhat against them. My DD is still (and always) a L4 tumbler but she now wears them every practice, even on tumble trak. Wrist problems seem to be commonplace, unfortunately.

 

[LJL07]

I am hearing mixed feedback. That they are needed for yurchenkos but that they can make wrists weaker?? My DD is training lev 7 and has asked for them bc her wrists hurt doing bhs on beam. Should I get them and have her just use occasionally?? I don't think our coach is a huge fan.

 

[munchkin3]

Old school coaches have this concept that 'they make your wrists weaker'.
I guess I could see this ONLY if you use them always and one day you dont use them ....maybe you could hurt yourself.

Logic- any wrists taking the repeated impact, with open palms will get damaged over time. Ask any high level EX gymnast and they will say, OF COURSE protect your wrists.
Logic- when I see the children of ex-elite athletes make THEIR kids use tiger paws for L8+
Logic- There is no way that a tiny wrist could be made WEAKER from this kind of force, repeated 1000's of times over years, on a child's growing wrist.

show me the science on how wearing tiger paws for L8 and up skills make your wrists weaker.....

I just dont see it......I think, why wouldn't you wear them?

 

[ascarter1]

YES!!!

I am hearing mixed feedback. That they are needed for yurchenkos but that they can make wrists weaker?? My DD is training lev 7 and has asked for them bc her wrists hurt doing bhs on beam. Should I get them and have her just use occasionally?? I don't think our coach is a huge fan.

 

[ascarter1]

Old school coaches have this concept that 'they make your wrists weaker'.
I guess I could see this ONLY if you use them always and one day you dont use them ....maybe you could hurt yourself.

Logic- any wrists taking the repeated impact, with open palms will get damaged over time. Ask any high level EX gymnast and they will say, OF COURSE protect your wrists.
Logic- when I see the children of ex-elite athletes make THEIR kids use tiger paws for L8+
Logic- There is no way that a tiny wrist could be made WEAKER from this kind of force, repeated 1000's of times over years, on a child's growing wrist.

show me the science on how wearing tiger paws for L8 and up skills make your wrists weaker.....

I just dont see it......I think, why wouldn't you wear them?

A thousand times, YES!!!

Better safe than sorry!

Listen to those of us that have been through wrist issues bc of high impact!

 

[Aero]

PARENTS,

TIGER PAWS DO NOT MAKE WRISTS WEAK. THIS IS A RICDICULOUS MYTH THAT HAS NO EMPYRICAL EVIDENCE TO BACK IT. IT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE… AT ALL!!!

And even if it was true (which it's not! ), just condition their wrists! Add some wrist strengthening exercises into their conditioning or rotations. It can only help anyway! By doing this early on, I have yet to encounter a big time wrist issue in any of my kids.

 

[Mom2-4]

DD started wearing them when she started BHS on beam about 4 years ago but uses them for all tumbling events. I am a nurse and started to worry about impact on all those little bones. I noticed her shaking her hands after multiple passes. I argued with the old HC about it and he gave in to humor me. But later said her tumbling was much better with them. I am sure tumbling improves without pain. I think his exact words were "You can put her in a tutu if it helps her tumbling."

 

[AWGym]

How do you approach the issue when HC doesn't allow them? I see a few optional kids wear them OCCASIONALLY when their wrists are really bothering them...but when a Level 5 in DD's group ordered and brought them in, HC told her to put them away. DD has been complaining about wrist pain for MONTHS but she's scared to get them because HC is so against them. HC claims they weaken your wrists. Not sure how to go about this.

 

[AWOL]

I would put her in them, what is more important, her not hurting her wrists or the HC's opinion. If the HC refuses to allow them I would start looking for a new gym with coaches that have up to date information about training
My daughter was having bad wrist pains and started using then for the last couple of years and no more pain.
In our area just about all optionals use then. Also watch the P&G or any elite meet. They all wear them.

 

[Simaril]

PARENTS,

TIGER PAWS DO NOT MAKE WRISTS WEAK. THIS IS A RICDICULOUS MYTH THAT HAS NO EMPYRICAL EVIDENCE TO BACK IT. IT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE… AT ALL!!!

And even if it was true (which it's not! ), just condition their wrists! Add some wrist strengthening exercises into their conditioning or rotations. It can only help anyway! By doing this early on, I have yet to encounter a big time wrist issue in any of my kids.

Totally agree!!!

I think people oversimplify and get this totally backwards... There is a perfectly reasonable root to the myth, that I've been misunderstood on before... I don't want a kid wearing wrist supports INSTEAD OF doing conditioning, and training smart. If he/she works on wrist strength and flexibility, and trains sensibly, he/she will likely have healthy wrists. If he/she wears wrist supports, but does not work strength/flexibility, and train sensibly he/she may have problems (the root of the myth). If a gymnast does their strength/flexibility, and a seemingly smart/reasonable training regimen they may still have wrist issues, and have to rely on supports to train... and at that point I'm (more) concerned about overuse, or too many unexpectedly hard impacts.

When I was training I chose NOT to wear wrist supports and instead work on maintaining my body, and training smart. I was more fortunate than many to be reasonably healthy. HOWEVER, there are certain skills where exceptional or unexpected impact may occur through the learning process (e.g. Yurchenko) and it's a great preventative (prevention > cure).

Stuff happens. Some kids will try to train through injuries until they learn to listen to their bodies. Wrist supports are a good tool to have. In lieu of wrist support, tape can work in a pinch. An actual professional athletic trainer can do better with tape than a wrist support.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

^^^^ Can only speak for myself. Coaches can tell me what leo she wears to a meet, how they would prefer her hair. They can nix anything that is a safety issue. I get it, long earrings are out, loose clothing on equipement. Yep I get it.

But something that will protect her from injury or help her heal. No, they won't be saying she can't. They are the coaches, but I am her parent. Her wrists are ultimately my responsibility. They can tell me/her they can't be fushia perhaps. Recommend one kind vs another but saying no, umm that will not be happening.

Daughter has her follow up Friday for her wrist injury. I expect the doc to release her after 6 weeks. Her coaches thought that was too long to be out............ Oh well. And they say she doesn't need wrist guards. Needless to say she will be going back to practice with them starting tomorrow. We are going to give these a try as they keep her bare.

Link Removed

but if not these it will be Tiger Paws or Golden Hands. She will have something supporting her wrists.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I would also like to mention things like body type and genetics make an impact. Some kids are prone to different type of things.

 

[MILgymFAM]

How do you approach the issue when HC doesn't allow them? I see a few optional kids wear them OCCASIONALLY when their wrists are really bothering them...but when a Level 5 in DD's group ordered and brought them in, HC told her to put them away. DD has been complaining about wrist pain for MONTHS but she's scared to get them because HC is so against them. HC claims they weaken your wrists. Not sure how to go about this.

You email/text/call a meeting (whatever the process is at your gym) with the coach and tell them that the braces are non-negotiable. This is one area where a wrong coach is an absolute deal breaker. I had to take this stand with my YDDs coaches, and they relented. They thought she was faking her pain and making a big deal of nothing. I was completely over that. They relented and DD wears them all the time now (past year). Had they stood firm we would've been forced to switch programs. I think it's that important.

 

[Seeker]

How do you approach the issue when HC doesn't allow them? I see a few optional kids wear them OCCASIONALLY when their wrists are really bothering them...but when a Level 5 in DD's group ordered and brought them in, HC told her to put them away. DD has been complaining about wrist pain for MONTHS but she's scared to get them because HC is so against them. HC claims they weaken your wrists. Not sure how to go about this.

Talk with him and make him understand she needs these based on PAIN. If they won't allow it, I would leave. May sound harsh, but it would make me question his decision making and I wouldn't trust him to protect my daughter.